A stack of businesses, community organisations and initiatives are appealing to the public to help fill Christmas stockings across the south-west this festive season.
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Share the Dignity drive
The volunteer-run initiative needs help collecting over 700 bags filled with women's toiletries to donate to nine local organisations.
Share the Dignity has more than doubled its bag collection from last year and is asking for people to fill a new or pre-loved bag with sealed sanitary items and tampons, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, roll-on deodorant, soap or body wash and any other gifts to fill the bags.
The bags can then be dropped off at Bunnings or the Archie Graham centre reception by December 7 to be donated to local women and young girls through Gunditjmara, Emma House, Brophy Family and Youth Services, Anglicare, the Uniting Church, Rotary, Aussie Helper, Bethany and the Salvation Army.
Foodshare
Foodshare's goal is to ensure its 200 regular food hampers have an accompanying Christmas bag of goodies.
Foodshare needs plum puddings, mince pies, bon bons, shortbread, chocolates, nuts, biscuits and other Christmas items for the accompanying bags as well as the regular non-perishable food items.
Donations can be dropped off at the Foodshare Warehouse at 24A Harrington Road from 8.30am - 12.30pm weekdays.
Coles also has a drop-off bin located in store.
Beyond the Bell
Ambleside Wealth Advisers and FM Mahar and Associates are banding together to support Beyond the Bell.
Gifts of new or pre-loved school uniforms, stationary, jigsaws, board games, books and other educational equipment can be donated to the businesses or to ANZ Warrnambool, Taits Legal and the Commonwealth Bank, Warrnambool, by December 13.
Beyond the Bell teams up with Foodshare to give a food hamper and an educational children's gift to local families in need and any remaining donations are collected by Brophy.
Brophy Family and Youth Services
Old Collegians Football Netball Club and the West Warrnambool Cricket Club are collecting new wrapped and unwrapped gifts to be donated to Brophy Family and Youth Services and any other organisations suggested.
Drop-off points are Clinton Baulch Motor Group, Style Active by Chloe, Bonnie and Clyde Hairdressers, Icon Sports and Sheehans Meats in Port Fairy until December 13.
Toy Run and the Salvation Army
Deposits of a different kind are being taken for the Warrnambool Motorcycle Toy Run.
A well as toys, non-perishable food is also being taken and will be handed out to needy families in the district with the Salvation Army.
Designated drop off points are Port Fairy and District Community Bank, the Koroit Newsagency and the Bendigo Bank, Warrnambool, until December 6.
Wishing Trees
You can bring your wrapped or unwrapped gift or voucher to the MacKillop Family Services in Warrnambool or at MacKillop in the Mary Knoll Centre, Hamilton, on Wednesday between 9-11am or 4-5pm.
ToyWorld has a wishing tree for presents to be donated to Emma House.
Once again Kmart's wishing tree collects donations and presents for the Salvation Army.
Target gifts are donated to UnitingCare to be given to disadvantaged Australians of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Presents dropped off at Sinclair Wilson will be donated to Emma House, St Vincent de Paul and the Kinship program at Brophy.
Christmas Appeals
Woolworths' customers are encouraged to purchase 50-cent meal tokens to help OzHarvest feed an Australian in need until December 24.
At IGA you can buy a $2 token at the checkout and all funds raised will go to St Vincent de Paul and Drought Angels to support Australians currently affected by drought.
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