‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for some kids, Christmas is a tough time of year.
Over 8,500 children and young people live in out of home care (foster, kinship or residential care) in Queensland, as their natural parents are not able to provide adequate protection and care for them.
ABC Gold Coast City have teamed up with the Department of Communities and are running an appeal for the Queensland kids in care, who are unable to spend Christmas with their families, to help make sure they experience the joy of Christmas.
As the media partner for the appeal, ABC Radio regularly run on-air promotion for the appeal, as well as interviews with adults who were once children in care, Child Safety staff, foster carers and their biological children. The interviews provide insight into life as a child in care and help grow the compassion of the community to encourage them to dig deep for this very worthy cause.
The appeal offers Gold Coast City an amazing opportunity to experience the gift of giving and to teach children and young people about those less fortunate in our community.
Donations are open until this Sunday 7 December at Gold Coast City donation points of ABC shops at Robina and Helensvale and until Friday 5 December at the Department of Communities office in Mermaid Beach.
Gifts for the appeal must be new and unwrapped. Age and gender appropriateness and safety should be considered when selecting a gift and the Department of Communities suggest a suitable pricing of $20-$25.
Click here for suggestions of what to buy for each age group
Visit the Department of Communities website to view a running tally of gifts received to date, to help ensure presents are diverse, covering a range of ages and genders and that no child is left out of the Christmas cheer.
Despite the generosity of Gold Coast City and greater Queensland thus far, there are still a huge amount of gifts required for children from birth to 17 years. There is still time to help deliver joy to a child this Christmas – add an extra item to your shopping list this week and get it to one of the donation points by Sunday to know you have contributed to a happier season for a child in care.
Tomorrow (Thursday 4 December 2014), you can catch up with the ABC’s Peter Scott as he collects gifts at the ABC Shop in Robina Town Centre from 12pm to 1pm.
Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #abckidsincare and help ABC and the Department of Communities help Queensland kids in care have a bright and happy Christmas.
For more information about the Kids in Care Christmas Appeal, visit ABC Gold Coast website and Department of Communities website
