GIVING their children the Christmas they desire can be tough for some families, even more so following the year much of the community has endured, which makes the Adopt a Surfcoaster program even more important.<\/p>\n
The Adopt a Surfcoaster program is all about providing the opportunity for families that may be doing it tough to enjoy the sort of Christmas every family deserves.<\/p>\n
Founder of the program Gail Smaniotto said the program, which has been running for five years now, gives struggling families the chance to reach out and be anonymously connected with a fellow Surf Coast donor, who then buys gifts for the children.<\/p>\n
Donors are given a list of a few of the interests of the children they are buying for to best provide an appropriate gift.<\/p>\n
Ms Smaniotto and donor-come-helper Liza Graham then deliver the gifts on Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n
“I think there will be a greater need this year… especially through COVID and what we’ve dealt with, a lot of people will have lost jobs and it will be hard for them,” Ms Smaniotto said.<\/p>\n
“I wanted to create something that was community to community \u2026 nobody should go without at Christmas.”<\/p>\n
The program brings plenty of joy to the lives of those who might be doing it tough, but also to those who donate, knowing the difference it will make.<\/p>\n
Ms Smaniotto said the most important thing was to make reaching out as accessible as possible.<\/p>\n
“I try to make it as anonymous and approachable as possible so people feel there is no judgement, your situation is your situation, it doesn’t matter,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I think with the growth of the Surf Coast, we have such a diverse group of people\u2026 if somebody is so desperate they feel the need to ask you for something it’s quite a brave move to make, you’ve just got to respect their situation.”<\/p>\n
Anyone in need of help or interested in further information about Adopt a Surfcoaster can do so by heading to the Facebook page at facebook.com\/adoptasurfcoasterchristmas2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GIVING their children the Christmas they desire can be tough for some families, even more so following the year much of the community has endured, which makes the Adopt a Surfcoaster program even more important. The Adopt a Surfcoaster program is all about providing the opportunity for families that may be doing it tough to […]<\/p>\n