Urgent Call for Christmas Donations

The UnitingCare Christmas appeal Operation Santa has described 2010 as one of the toughest for the agency and sent out an urgent request for more gift donations.

The organisations says donations for the annual Christmas appeal, which provides gifts for disadvantaged Australians, are down by a record 34%.

Last year more than 65,000 gifts were donated to the Operation Santa Christmas appeal last year.

A joint initiative between UnitingCare and Target, the appeal runs until Thursday, 23 December and UnitingCare is urging shoppers to give generously in the last days before Christmas.

UnitingCare Victoria and Tasmania Director Charles Gibson says this is definitely one of the toughest years their agencies have experienced. He says Christmas is only days away and some of the agencies have barely nothing for people over 10 years old.

Gibson says each time there is added economic stress, it draws in new groups of people – including many working families. Gisbon urges people to make an extra effort – to donate a gift or buy a gift card at Target stores to give a real Christmas for those who will otherwise go without.

Over the past 18 years, UnitingCare and Target have collected and distributed more than 1.7 million gifts.

Donations to Operation Santa can be made at Target and Target Country stores around Australia.