News

Giving the Gift of Community this Christmas

2 Dec, 2024

Find out how you can extend generosity and hospitality to those in financial distress this festive season.

Community is so important for people experiencing the loneliness and isolation of financial distress. There are a range of ways we can each give the gift of community to those who are struggling this Christmas – donating material items, volunteering time and being a part of supporting long-term solutions to financial distress.

“Finances are a massive burden on people. And I think that if the community is aware of it, and the community can step in and help, people that are going through financial burden feel that people do care. That’s a massive thing! Just to know that someone does care.” – Jade, participant.

Here are a few ways you can show generosity and hospitality this festive season:

1. Meet a material need

You could support a church’s care ministry and donate items for their Christmas hampers. These items could include:

• Staple foods: long-life milk, breakfast cereals and oats, canned goods (soup, vegetables and tuna), pasta, rice and sauces.
• Christmas treats/special foods: Christmas pudding or fruit cake, candy canes, chocolate, shortbread, fruit mince pies, voucher for butchers (Christmas ham or turkey), instant gravy or stuffing mix.
• Beverages: tea and coffee, hot chocolate.
• Gifts: toys or colouring books and pencils for children, family puzzles or board games.
• Essentials: personal care items and toiletries.

You could also sponsor hampers with a church or not-for-profit so that they can purchase the necessary items for the community.

2. Welcome into community

By volunteering your time, you can extend community to those in need over the Christmas period. This could be helping a church pack and deliver hampers, feeding the homeless on Christmas day, or offering your time to help out at community outreach events. See what opportunities are available with local churches or not-for-profits to find an option that suits you.

You can also take a more personal approach with people you know are in need in your neighbourhood. Consider offering to cook and bring them a meal, mow their lawns, or simply have a chat with them over a cup of tea or coffee (and a slice of Christmas cake).

3. Be part of the long-term solution

Meeting material needs and extending community to those in financial distress are incredibly helpful and important over Christmas, but there are also opportunities for you to have a long-term impact in their lives.

By giving a gift to CAP Australia, you can help equip a movement of churches to walk alongside those in financial distress, providing them with the support, tools and resources to change their financial situation, connect into community, and meet Jesus. Click here to donate.