By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CHRISTMAS has come early to Casey.
Windermere Child and Family Services welcomed a donation of more than 800 Christmas in July gifts last Thursday which was put together by local charity Mums Supporting Families in Need.
The volunteer group has spent the past few months collecting and wrapping the gifts which will be distributed by Windermere to families who have suffered significant disadvantage.
Mums Supporting Families in Need vice president Melissa Webb said her charity contacted Windermere recently to see if it would like a hand.
“We, basically, collect items from the public and we clean them up and safety check them, and agencies such as Windermere and other agencies collect them and then give them to the families,” she said.
“We just chose a couple of agencies to get on board to give something to children who may not have anything or may not even get a Christmas present at Christmas.
“That might be families going through some sort of financial crisis, or it may be domestic violence, whatever it may be.”
Mums Supporting Families in Need was founded by Jodie Harris in 2012 and has grown considerably over the past 18 months.
Windermere case manager Belinda Dennis commended the volunteers on their selflessness.
“At Christmas time we rang up with hardly any notice and they supplied nine children and a family and they supplied clothing and Christmas presents,” she said.
“But they not only thought of the children, they thought of the parents as well and gave appropriate presents to the parents so it was wonderful, and we got vouchers for them for food.
“Often the children have witnessed terrible trauma and the family, through circumstances, might not be able to afford things or they’ve lost everything.
“These wonderful women at the drop of a hat supply pushers and cots and clothing to some of our really high risk clients.”
For more information on Mum’s Supporting Families in Need, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Mummies-and-Babes-in-need/552006351483413
