For the third year, Jennifer and Peter King have worked to distribute backpacks full of items to agencies placing children into emergency out-of-home care.

Part of Backpacks 4 Vic Kids, the couple was joined this year by Brophy's Natalie Bignell.

The couple was able to distribute 540 Santa sacks last year thanks to community donations.

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While Ms King said it was "terrible" there were that many children without parents at Christmas time, it was great to be able to provide that number of bags and she hoped to surpass that figure this year.

"It hopefully will bring them a little bit of joy, because sometimes these kids would get nothing," she said.

"People here in Warrnambool are so, so generous to give donations and money and some of them take sacks to go away shopping and fill them themselves.

"Some say they take their children and grandchildren to shop for gifts because it sometimes helps them realise there are children that aren't as lucky as they are."

She said bags were packed with a variety of goods and distributed throughout the south-west.

"We make sure children get essential items such as clothes, books, toys, toiletries and a blanket for zero through to 17 year olds who are being taken into emergency care.

"We provide the packs for Child Protection Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton, Brophy and Emma House. We have a lady here (Barbara Richards-Croft) who sews all the Santa sacks for the packs and this time of year we ask people to help pack them or donate goods."

Ms King thanked Owen Truss for lending the team a storage container to operate from.

Those who would like to make a donation should call Ms King on 0401 611 123 or email jdouglasnyc@gmail.com

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