Each Christmas for 22 years, a dedicated group of churchgoers in Bayswater has been bringing cheer to people they’ll never meet and whose smiles they can only imagine.
St Stephen’s Anglican Church has received Council funding for its Christmas hampers to be given to Knox families experiencing challenging times due to increasing cost of living expenses.
According to parish secretary Susan Hammond, the church has a long-standing link with Bayswater South and Bayswater West primary schools who help distribute the hampers.
“The schools choose the families that the hampers go to because they are familiar with the families who need them most,” she said.
“Giving to others has been part of the ethos of the parish since it started in 1908.
“I have sifted through the parish history and have seen examples of hampers being given out during the Great Depression in the 30s.”
For roughly the last 22 years, parishioners have donated hampers at Christmas time.
“The hampers give hope when times are difficult,” Susan said.
“This hope and love is freely given without any expectation of thanks and I just think it’s such a wonderful gift to be able to give to someone else.”
Church volunteers originally put out a list of what they need in each hamper and parishioners would donate items on the list.
Long-time volunteer Roz Bruckner said the church started off with 10 hampers, with the initiative growing “like topsy”.
“We put fresh food vouchers from Farmer Joe’s up to the value of $50 in each hamper, as well as a general grocery $50 restricted voucher. We include Christmas foods as well as staple foods,” Roz said.
A combination of cakes, plum pudding, long-life custard, long-life cream, lollies, chocolates, mince pies, shortbread and a tin of tuna, pasta, pasta sauce and a ham appear in the yearly hampers.
“The schools tell us every year how grateful they are and how they’ve got no trouble finding families,” Susan said.
If you live in Knox and are in need of food and other emergency relief, visit knox.vic.gov.au/our-services/children-family-and-community-services/emergency-and-housing-support/relief-providers
To contribute to the initiative, visit knoxinfolink.org.au/services-programs/share-the-joy
