This year brought on unprecedented financial pressure for families experiencing disadvantage or caring for a child with chronic illness or disability. There are many ways, big and small, you can help families in need this Christmas.
This yearbrought on unprecedented financial pressure for families experiencing disadvantage or caring for a child with chronic illness or disability. There are many ways, big and small, you can help families in need this Christmas.
Variety WA's Christmas Appeal
The Western Australian charity for children is asking the community to show their support with the Variety WA Christmas Appeal. Donations will help give children with a disability or illness the opportunity to attend the Variety Christmas party.
“The Variety Christmas party is an unforgettable day of fun where WA children living with serious illness, disadvantage or disability get the chance to simply enjoy being a kid, in an inclusive setting," Variety WA chief executive officer Chris Chatterton said.
“For many families with a child who have a disability, they face significant additional costs of medical care, therapies, and specialised equipment, making it even harder to provide the fun extras that can help make Christmas magical," he added.
“Finding inclusive events that accommodate their child’s needs can sometimes be difficult, leaving families feeling isolated at a time when they should be celebrating togetherness. With your support, Variety WA kids and their families will enjoy a fun-filled Christmas."
Last year Alex, 9, and her family attended the Variety WA Christmas party. “Events like this take away so many of the worries we have as a family. Accessibility, financial strain, or whether Alex can even participate, those concerns disappear. At the Christmas party, it’s a celebration, the kids are excited, and it’s full of joy. It’s such a contrast to the usual places we meet other families," Alex's mother, Amy, said.
You can give the gift of joy this Christmas by sponsoring a child and their family to attend the Variety WA Kids Christmas Party, made possible with the generous support of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation. $54 enables one child to attend the Christmas party, $108 for a child and parent or carer to attend together, and $215 for a family of four to attend. All donations more than $2 are tax deductible. You can donate here: www.varietywaappeal.raiselysite.com.
Support Activ Foundation
As the holiday season approaches, Activ Foundation is extending an opportunity for you and your colleagues to make a difference and take part in the gift of giving with Activ’s first annual Christmas Gift Drive.
"To make this initiative a success, we are reaching out to our trusted corporate partners, like you, for support. We truly appreciate any support you can provide, and we believe that with your help, we can make this holiday season extra special for those who deserve it most," Clare Amies, CEO of Activ Foundation, said.
Here's how you can help:
- Donate a gift: This could be anything from branded merchandise, gift cards, samples, or any other small items that would make for a thoughtful gesture. The donation deadline is December 13 to allow enough time to prepare and distribute the gifts in time for the holidays. Gifts can be sent to the Activ Wembley office, or can arrange a pick-up if more convenient.
Gift ideas include:
- Non-perishable food items like chocolates, biscuits, lollies, popcorn, etc.; hand cream, shower gel, cologne, moisturiser, nail polish, hair products; notebooks and pens, socks, hats, caps, games, beach towels, water bottle; vouchers such as movie tickets and café vouchers.
"We fill our accommodation homes, community hubs, and employment sites with lots of festive cheer through activities, outings, gifts, and visitors. However, as many of us return home to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends, some of Activ’s customers may not have their own loved ones to spend time or share gifts with,” Ms Amies said.
"We would be grateful if you could consider donating small gifts or products to be included in our holiday gift packages for our deserving customers. Your contribution will help bring joy to our customers who don’t get to spend Christmas with their family and friends."
Helping Activ Foundation helps to improve the lives of Western Australians living with disability through more opportunities for connection, upgrades to our disability homes, upskilling and employment prospects, and creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for all.
Give to Activ’s Christmas Gift Drive here, or make a donation to Activ online.
St John Anglicare Giving Tree Appeal
The St John Giving Tree appeal, in partnership with Anglicare WA, is expected to reach its goal of collecting more than 600 gifts for children doing it tough this Christmas.
The partnership has now been in place for six years with more than 3000 presents being delivered to kids in need.
St John WA team members across the state donate gifts to keep the magic of Christmas alive for young people with 2024 being the first year that all St John Urgent Care sites are hosting a tree.
Kevin Brown, St John WA group chief executive officer, said he was proud of his team and their dedication to humanity. “Not only do St John WA people provide a vital community service, they are often the very same people who lend a hand to those in need,” he said.
“These generous donations will mean hundreds of Western Australian children will get to enjoy opening a present on Christmas morning.”
Support the St John Anglicare WA Giving Tree appeal here.
Christmas isn’t always merry…
As we look forward to Christmas day filled with laughter, unwrapping gifts with excitement, and maybe a prawn or two, for some children in WA they’re feeling very different. For those exposed to family and domestic violence, the holiday period can be even more unpredictable and filled with dread.
Growing up in a household where family and domestic violence is present can have severe and lasting impacts on children, affecting their health, development and overall wellbeing.
With the support of Anglicare WA’s Young Hearts child counsellors, children and young people can receive the support and care they need to transform fear and anxiety into hope and healing, and they can break the cycle of family and domestic violence.
Anglicare WA’s Christmas Appeal is raising vital funds for the Young Hearts centres, which operate in Joondalup, Albany, Gosnells, Mandurah and Rockingham. There’s a waitlist right now of 57 children who need our help, and this list is only getting longer.
Your donation today could provide hope to one of those children this Christmas. Make a Christmas gift by donating here: donate.anglicarewa.org.au.
Giving the gift of life
The Women and Infants Research Foundation is inviting the community to consider giving the gift of life this Christmas through its WIRF Christmas Appeal.
"This Christmas, the community’s support is more vital than ever for women and babies. The community’s generosity will help us continue our crucial work to reduce preterm births, advance treatments for preterm babies, support Aboriginal maternal health, improve women’s mental health, research gynaecological cancers, and provide the essentials to women and babies in crisis situations," Women and Infants Research Foundation CEO Deb Portughes said.
"Every dollar makes a difference in the lives of women and babies in need."
Women and Infants Research Foundation Chief Scientist, Professor Matt Kemp, said the research makes a strong impact on the lives and health of women, mothers, and babies.
“As chief scientist, I have seen the transformative impact that research can have on the health of women, mothers, and babies. While we have achieved significant progress over the past 48 years, the health challenges faced by families across Australia remain as complex as ever," he said.
"The continued support of our community is essential to our mission and allows us to drive forward the innovations needed to secure a healthy start to life for every baby, and a healthy future for every woman.”
Donate to the Women and Infants Research Foundation here: https://wirf.raiselysite.com/
Bells of hope for PCHF Christmas Appeal
This festive season, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation (PCHF) is calling on the Western Australian community to join them in spreading the sound of hope for kids with cancer.
Four incredible PCHF Ambassador Kids who have overcome cancer helped sound the bells at Perth’s iconic Bell Tower to launch the Foundation’s annual Christmas Appeal, in a heart-warming display of support for all kids diagnosed with the disease right across the state.
At the centre of this year’s appeal is the tradition of the ‘end-of-treatment’ bell. On PCH’s oncology ward, the bell signals the end of a child’s cancer treatment, a milestone that celebrates their strength and inspires hope, while marking the end of months or years of intense treatment and the beginning of a happier, healthier future.
Carrick Robinson, CEO of Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, said the ringing of the bells not only signals hope for the future, but it also provides a heartfelt tribute in memory of the 1 in 10 WA kids that may not get the chance to ring the bell themselves.
“This Christmas, PCHF is raising awareness of those kids that have rung the bell, the kids who hope to, and those, who, sadly, may never have that opportunity," he said.
“With the support of our donors, we aim to fund a range of world-class children’s cancer initiatives right here in WA. This includes innovative immunotherapy research, cutting-edge technology to enhance the accuracy and quality of research data, studies aimed at preventing life-threatening fungal infections in kids with leukaemia and oncology fellowships to foster the next generation of researchers in WA.”
Data shows 86 per cent of WA kids aged 14 and under diagnosed with cancer will survive, but many are left with long-term side effects from their treatment.
“By donating to PCHF’s Christmas Appeal, you will be helping us to bring together some of the world’s best experts and researchers with cutting-edge equipment and technology, to help us find answers. Together, we have the potential to revolutionise care, reduce the side effects, and inspire hope for a brighter future in kids and families not just in WA, but right around the world.” Donate to PCHF here.
Helping WA families with sick kids
Giving to Ronald McDonald House Charities WA this Christmas will help offer a home away from home for families with sick children across one of its three Houses in Perth, Ronald McDonald House at QEII, Ronald McDonald House in Perth Children’s Hospital, and Ronald McDonald House on Park.
“This year we are calling on the community to generously give the gift of comfort, support and community to WA families with ill or injured children at a time when they need it most," RMHC WA chief executive officer Peter King said.
“It is through the continued support of the West Australian community that we are able to deliver essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when a child requires medical care.”
This Christmas, up to 111 families will find themselves far from home and loved ones due to a child’s illness or injury.
By supporting RMHC WA you’re ensuring that these families have access to programs and services that support their emotional and financial wellbeing during this special time of year.
Until there is a cure, there is care
The Motor Neurone Disease Association of WA (MNDAWA) provides person-centred care and support services to those affected by MND, such as Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with MND earlier this year.
Elizabeth was diagnosed with MND this year at the age of 37 and, as a mother of three children aged 10, 12 and 15, her life took a dramatic turn. “I used to play soccer and take part in triathlons, but one day I felt a heaviness in my legs and couldn’t run the way I used to. I had no idea that it was the beginning of something as lifechanging as MND,” she said.
With the generous support of the community, MNDAWA has been able to provide her and her family with the best care and support.
“MNDAWA made a world of difference to me right from the start. In a world where I often feel like just a number in the medical system, MNDAWA sees me as a person. The team there genuinely cares about me, and they’re always there to lift me up. They give me comfort and reassurance that I have people behind me, supporting me every step of the way,” she said.
MND can impact anyone at any age and any stage of their life, and there is no cure.
“I am living proof that MND isn’t an old person’s disease, it’s affecting people like me in the prime of life, pulling us away from our children and the chance to watch them grow up. Right now, MNDAWA is helping me live as fully as possible. Life is different, but we’re adapting, and with their support, I’m holding on to as much normalcy as I can this Christmas time for my family," she said.
MNDAWA is asking the community to show their support. “We are asking for the support of the WA community to enable us to continue providing person-centred care and support for people like Elizabeth. We know that the care we provide makes a significant difference in the lives of these families and we couldn’t do it without the generosity of donors," said Sarah Wiley, MNDAWA Manager Partnerships and Community Engagement.
Donate today to help MNDAWA continue its vital work and person-centred care and support services to those affected by MND.
Putting food on the table this Christmas
This year, more families have reached out to Foodbank for help than ever before, as more people feel the cost-of-living squeeze. "As West Aussies battle cost of living and life’s challenges, their savings and disposable income are dropping below their affordability line," Foodbank WA CEO Kate O'Hara explained.
"While Christmas is meant to be a time for family to come together, share a meal, open presents and make happy memories, for so many it is a time that brings stress and anxiety on how to afford it."
The 2024 Foodbank Hunger report revealed that Australia-wide more than 2 million households are experiencing extreme hardship and severely food insecure households are living with constant stress and worry about food, and 79 per cent saw their food run out without enough money to purchase more.
"We know life can turn upside down in an instant. A job loss, rent increase or medical issue can mean families who never thought they would need Foodbank, suddenly do," she said.
"There are so many hidden hardships that people in our communities are facing. A meal at Christmas shouldn't be one of them. With your help, we can create little miracles this festive season for families all around Western Australia.
"At Christmas, especially, we want to take the burden off families and make sure that they have enough food for themselves and their families to be able to celebrate in any small way that they can."
Every $1 donated to Foodbank provides two meals to those who need it most. Give to Foodbank here.
