GEELONG ADOPTS XMAS SPIRIT AGAIN

THE spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Geelong, and there’s a mountain of presents to prove it.

Families, businesses and community groups from around the region have donated a wealth of gifts and food hampers to Geelong’s most in need this week as part of the Geelong Advertiser’s Adopt A Family Appeal.

The packages will go to more than 200 families supported by welfare agencies Bethany, St Vincent de Paul and Uniting Care.

Adopt A Family Appeal co-ordinator Jessica Young said the donors had shown tremendous generosity.

“We’ve collected something like $100,000 worth of donations this week, and every item will go to a family in Geelong that needs a little bit of help this Christmas,” Ms Young said.

“The people who donate to this appeal don’t know who their gifts and food donations are going to. All they know is that it will make someone else’s Christmas a little brighter, and that’s why they do it – to help a family out in tough times.”

Harvey Norman stores at Corio and Waurn Ponds again lent their support to the appeal this year, as did the Hamilton Group, which runs the Pivot City Innovation District.

Andrew Hamilton said his business was proud to make one of its few remaining warehouses at North Geelong’s Federal Mills Business Park available for the appeal this year.

“We’re just excited to provide an opportunity for a project like this to take place, and to be involved in such a worthy cause that is going to make Christmas more enjoyable for some of Geelong’s most disadvantaged families,” Mr Hamilton said.

The hundreds of boxes of gifts and food hampers donated to the appeal will now be distributed to the welfare agencies before being delivered to families in time for Christmas.