WITH LOVE, ALL OF US
MAKING CHRISTMAS A MERRY TIME FOR ALL
While Christmas ought to be a time of celebration and joy, many people are simply unable to put food on the table.
All around Australia there are people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
The 2018 Food Hunger Report shows that, in the last 12 months, more than four million Australians (about 18 per cent of the population) have been in a situation where they have run out of food and have been unable to buy more.
Sadly, for some in our community, Christmas is less about celebration and more about struggle,.
That’s where the Loads of Love appeal steps in.
The appeal is all about ‘sharing the love’ and helping our neighbours.
The appeal calls the community to action by asking people, families, workplaces and small communities (like schools) to donate non–perishable food items that can be shared with households requiring support.
The Loads of Love appeal operates from Bundaberg to the NSW border and from Brisbane to the Western Downs.
There are seven distinct areas of operation, each with it’s own local charity working in partnership with the Loads of Love appeal to organise, collect and distribute the donated items.
In Toowoomba, collection and distribution is coordinated by Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland.
There are now more than 100 official collection points across southern Queensland — with over 30 in Toowoomba alone, including Lifeline and Harvey Norman stores, Heritage Bank branches, The Chronicle, civic organisations, charities, churches, and many more.
Since the appeal began in 2009 we have collected over 48,000 kilograms of items with 20,000 kilograms being donated in 2017 alone.
Collection for 2018 has only just begun and we expect significant donations from communities this year, aiming to collect 20,000 kilograms of food across southern Queensland.
Collection runs from Thursday, November 1 to Thursday, December 20.
For more information, to stay up to date with the running tally, or to donate online, visit www.loadsoflove.org.au