Christmas hampers for families doing it tough

Families from Caboolture and surrounding suburbs who are worried about putting food on the table this Christmas can register their details to receive a grocery hamper from Caboolture Community Care Inc.

The not-for-profit organisation is urging people who are homeless, in crisis, or struggling to make ends meet to register their details before November 30, with all hampers being available for collection on December 15.

Each hamper will be packed with a number of essential pantry items, as well as Christmas goodies, to ensure everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Caboolture Community Care Inc Manager Craig Jones says the centre is there to help anyone who might be feeling worried or stressed about the upcoming festive season.

“If you are in need, please drop in and see us and we will gladly help you where we can,” Craig says.

“We offer a wide range of services such as counselling and emergency relief programs, which is where we offer our food hampers and vouchers.

“The hampers will be geared more towards families and will include non-perishable food items so you can make basic meals, plus some Christmas treats.”

This year, the centre had to cancel its Christmas Open Day, which Craig described as “disappointing”.

“For the last few years, we have run a Christmas Open Day where people would come in to get their hampers as well as clothes, toiletries and nappies,” Craig says.

“Unfortunately, that is not happening this year because of some proposed construction that was meant to happen during December.

“We didn’t think we would be here for Christmas, so we didn’t think we would have the capability or space to do that this year.

“Now we have found out that work will happen sometime around April next year, so if everything is completed in time, we hope to hold the Christmas Open Day again.”

The centre will be open until December 21 and will continue providing its usual services, assisting with food vouchers and other forms of emergency relief.

It will reopen on January 8, 2024.

Donations needed

If you would like to donate non-perishable food items to help families in need this Christmas, you can drop them off at the centre.

Non-perishable items that can be donated include tinned stews and soup, tinned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, long life milk, long life custard, spreads like Vegemite, peanut butter and jam, pancake mix, cake mixes, jellies, cordial, biscuits, soft drinks, nuts, lollies, chips and mince puddings.

Free family fun day

To help families get into the Christmas spirit, Caboolture Neighbourhood Centre, which is located adjacent to Caboolture Community Care Inc, will host a free Family Fun Day on December 14.

The day will include plenty of family friendly activities to entertain children and adults, as well as free food.

For more information and updates, visit the Facebook page. 

Visit them

Caboolture Community Care Inc is at 9 George St, Caboolture.

If you need assistance, phone 5495 6400 and press option 1, or visit the website.