Sacred Heart Primary School supports Vinnies Christmas Appeal

The St Vincent De Paul Society (Vinnies) Christmas Appeal is ramping up while it experiences unprecedented demand for services this year, with students from Launceston school Sacred Heart Primary chipping in to pack hampers for those in need.

The school will make a valuable contribution towards Vinnies reaching its goal of raising $250,000 for Tasmanian children and families in need this summer.

Sacred Heart Primary School Principal Brent Wilson said throughout November, the school’s Mini Vinnies team had led the whole school community to live out their values by generously donating items for St Vincent de Paul’s Christmas treat bags.

“Their goal was to fill 18 treat bags with yummy treats for those who are having a tough time this Christmas. Thanks to our generous families, we actually doubled that amount of bags!” Mr Wilson said.

“Being involved in a project like this helps our students to feel the joy of helping others and encourages them to use their kindness and teamwork for a wonderful cause.”

“It’s been really heartwarming to see how excited our students have been in making these treat bags and how much they want to bring happiness to others.”

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO Heather Kent said the support from Sacred Heart Primary and others allowed the Christmas Appeal to support Tasmanian families during a particularly challenging period.

“Our statistics demonstrate that we are serving more individuals and families across Tasmania than ever before. Added to that, we are also faced with the challenge of increased costs of our own operations statewide as we respond to the escalating complexity of circumstances faced by those struggling just to get by,” she said.

“We are now starting to see people with jobs who still cannot make ends meet. It is not only those who are experiencing homelessness that rely on our support, so many individuals and families simply can’t get through times such as this when pressures just continue to mount up.

“Vinnies is always grateful for the generosity of the Tasmanian community and the many businesses and schools that raise money and donate to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.

“For most of us, Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but for far too many Tasmanians it is a time for stress, guilt and worry as the pressures of the festive season and back-to-school period loom large.

“$250,000 might seem like a big target, but we have done it before and now, more than ever, we need to do it again. Every donation helps – no matter how small, it will make a big difference.”

“We are always grateful for the generosity of the Tasmanian community and the many businesses and schools that raise money and donate to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.”

Vinnies Christmas Appeal is open now. To donate, please visit the Vinnies Tasmania website: www.vinniestas.org.au, or donate at a Vinnies Store or Vinnies office near you.