Host a food or gift drive
1. Register your food or gift drive
Gift and Food Drive Registrations for 2024 have now closed.
We are no longer able to accept new registrations for Christmas Drives this year. If you would like to support Australian families in need, please consider creating an online fundraising page here: https://givehope.salvationarmy.org.au/
2. Read our giving guidelines
Date donations needed by
Thank you for hosting a food or gift drive and helping us leave no one in need this Christmas.
Please ensure all items are donated in November or by early December. This will help us plan, prepare and deliver all food and gift hampers in time for Christmas.
Gifts
Some useful tips for gift donations:
- Consider donating gift vouchers – A gift voucher means a parent or guardian can still share in the unique joy of buying a gift for their child or family member (vouchers are also ideal for teenagers)
- Please consider giving gifts for a range of age groups, including teenagers and parents
- Please leave gifts unwrapped, to enable parents/guardians to experience the dignity and joy of choosing gifts based on the recipients’ interests or personality. Feel free to include wrapping paper or gift bags
- Please donate new items only as your donated gift may be the only present someone receives this Christmas
Food
Some useful tips for food donations:
- Consider donating a supermarket gift voucher, as they allow the recipient the flexibility to purchase their choice of fresh fruit, vegetables and meat
- Where appropriate, please ensure items have long expiry dates and are non-perishable
- Since these will be received as gifts, consider adding brand name products and some special items to help the recipient celebrate on Christmas Day
- Try packing the food into a shopping bag or washing basket that can be reused by the recipient (it’s sustainable too!)
- Consider providing food that will suit families with young children, people with allergies, the elderly or culturally diverse Australian households.
Gift vouchers
We can only accept physical gift vouchers (no printed or electronic gift vouchers please). Popular gift vouchers include:
- Supermarkets, for example Woolworths or Coles
- Department stores, for example Kmart, Big W, Target, Myer or David Jones
- iTunes
- Netflix
- JB Hi-fi
- Rebel Sport
- Event Cinemas or Hoyts
- Dymocks
3. Promote your food or gift drive
Once you are all ready to collect, make sure your family, friends and local community know that you are hosting a food or gift drive.
Click the items to view and download resources for your food or gift drive.
Download food drive resources
Promote your food drive with these posters and food suggestions.
Download gift drive resources
Promote your gift drive with these posters and gift suggestions.
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4. Find a drop-off location
Once you have completed your collections, find a drop-off point to donate your goods.
Find a drop-off location
5. Follow Your Impact
Download Follow Your Impact resources
This year we are very excited to introduce impact updates for supporters. Print off the posters below (or share with your team digitally via email/noticeboard) and display them at your collection space. Encourage each individual donor from your drive, to register and follow the impact of their generosity.