From the Lord Mayor's Office
Supporting the City of Wollongong Giving Tree
This year I’m challenging our community to see if we can up the ante on last year’s City of Wollongong Giving Tree tally.
All up, in 2023, we collected 1400 wonderful items that were donated as part of the annual appeal.
There is no question that this year, once again, times are tough for many families and residents in Wollongong.
We are a giving community and by working closely with Anglicare and St Vincent de Paul, Council is able to ensure gifts can be distributed to make Christmas brighter for everyone.
While I’d love to see us collect more than last year’s 1400 gifts, I’m particularly keen to see us increase the number of gifts we collect this year for kids aged around 11 and 12 years.
As any parent, aunt, uncle or carer knows, this is a particularly tricky age group to cater for as they’re no longer little kids, but still dream of Santa and stuffed Christmas stockings on 25 December.
I’d love to think that these kids, who are more aware than their younger counterparts of the impact of the cost of living on the household budget, are given the opportunity for a truly merry Christmas.
If you’re in a position to buy a gift for children up to the age of 16, they’re being collected by Council until 13 December.
There are a wide range of drop-off locations including our libraries in Helensburgh, Thirroul, Corrimal, Wollongong, Dapto Thirroul and Warrawong Libraries, as well as the Council Administration Building in Burelli Street.
We ask the gifts not be wrapped.
For more information visit Council’s dedicated Giving Tree page.
