Andrew Leigh

Gordon Ramsey from Kippax UnitingCare tells me that community generosity is being outpaced by need. If you can assist with a gift or donation, you can drop them off at their office in Holt, on the corner of Luke Street and Hardwick Crescent.

Thank you again for your support for the community services at Kippax – particularly at this time the Christmas Hampers and Gifts we are providing to individuals, households and a broad range of other refuges and organisations in the ACT. This support of other organisations as well as our own clients is an important part of our ethos, and has become relied upon by women’s refuges and Refugee support groups over previous years.

More information from Gordon over the fold.

I thought you may appreciate hearing an update on where things are with this support this year.

Over the past 4 days we have worked with over 300 households who are struggling financially. With the bookings already made for next week, we anticipate that be will be distributing around 550 hampers this year, and that each of the households will be supported with Christmas Gifts as well. Last year we supported just under 400.

The recent floods and heavy rains have added to the strain of households – a story from one of our clients is included below.

Unfortunately, the 37% increase in requests for assistance this year has not been matched by an equal response by the broader community in its donations. We fear that the tightened financial situation (reflected in the anticipated reduced retail spending this year) is reflected in people’s responses to requests from charities such as ours. We believe that this is going to be a more difficult Christmas than even for a higher number of Canberran families.

Thank you again for our support. We greatly value it.

If you have any opportunity over the next few days to encourage the community to act generously (as they are able to afford it) to support any of the Canberran charities, we know that the impact for people in financial need will be a welcome relief.

Kind regards

Gordon Ramsay

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A single mother (we will call her Betty) of 3 children under 10 years of age presented seeking assistance after her ACT house was flooded during the recent heavy rains. All of her Christmas presents that was under her tree were damaged and had to be discarded.

Betty was quite distressed as she had paid for all her gifts on a Lay By while only Parenting Allowance from Centrelink. Normally Betty manages but with the rain ruining her Christmas it all became too much for her.

Betty had never had to ask for assistance before, but she found out about UnitingCare Kippax and in particular the Emergency Relief Program and so made an appointment.

When Betty presented and we explained how we could help her situation tears of relief rolled down her face.

In the space of an hour we were able to assist her with a Christmas hamper (including a frozen chicken) and Christmas gifts for her children and we also pay her outstanding Telstra account.

Betty is one of over 300 families who we have assisted during this December and we are also expecting to assist a further 200 families before Christmas as well as delivering another 100 Christmas Hampers to refuges throughout the ACT.

This work goes on all year. Every week we assist hundreds of people who are in real need; the support we offer goes far beyond the practical assistance given: support with Advocacy, referrals to appropriate agencies that further assist, budget counseling are a standard part of what we do.

During the financial year 09-10 we assisted 5,555 individuals who sought our help throughout the ACT.