By Mikayla van Loon
Holy Fools is preparing for its biggest Christmas appeal this year, as the cost of living impacts more and more people in the Yarra Ranges.
Every year for the last six years the homelessness organisation has put together Christmas hampers for those in need of support, as well as a community Christmas lunch.
With more people struggling than in years past, Holy Fools CEO Neal Taylor said he would be aiming to hand out 500 food hampers and raise $6000 for the charity in the lead up to the festive season.
“Ourselves and other organisations that hand out food and do this work have seen a massive increase in demand in the last probably six months to a year,” he said.
“There’s going to be greater demand at Christmas time, because a lot of the agencies close over Christmas time for a couple of weeks.
“We, in consultation with them all, decided we would try and do a larger number of hampers so we could meet the demand, the growing demand, and be able to get some people at least a little bit of food over the Christmas break.”
While the pandemic saw a lot of extra need, Mr Taylor said that is even worse now with the effects of inflation hitting people hard.
“The cost of living and the associated costs, like the increase in fuel and other expenses have really contributed this year,” he said.
“There’s a lot more people who normally wouldn’t seek help who are seeking help nowadays.”
Although not a welfare agency, Mr Taylor said Holy Fools has been receiving more and more calls from people seeking help, where he has had to direct people to other services in the area.
Every year, alongside the food donations, Holy Fools aims to raise funds to help recoup funds lost over the year and help cover costs of the Christmas lunch.
“We’ve experienced a severe downturn in donations, in monetary donations in the last six months and even the cost of living has affected how we operate too.
“We’ve had to cut back on a number of our monthly expenses. We have to run the van, which costs some weeks up to about $200.”
The monetary donations help Holy Fools cover its bottom line, with insurances, fuel costs and the running of day to day tasks.
This year Mr Taylor said any support, whether little or big, will go a long way to helping families and individuals across the Yarra Ranges.
Purple food donation bins have already started filling up with some already placed at Branded Burgers in Seville, Methven Professionals in Lilydale, Stockdale and Leggo in Lilydale and the Lilydale Community House.
“I’ve got another two that I’m trying to find locations for but so far, the ones that are out there have already started receiving donations to them and the response so far has been really good.”
The cut off for donations is 16 December, with the sorting of food for the hampers happening on 17 December.
Basic, staple food items like long life milk, pasta and pasta sauces, tinned spaghetti or baked beans and a few sweet treats like lollies or biscuits are always sought after for the hampers.
Not only is Holy Fools preparing to sort donations and organise hampers, the community Christmas lunch is happening again on Friday 24 December, this time at the Lilydale Football and Cricket club rooms.
“We’re hoping to get about 120 to 150 people in there for lunch and get the same group of people involved as last year, which was Tasty Az and other organisations in the local area and get everyone in there for lunch.”
To donate to the Christmas appeal and help reach $6000, go to www.holyfools.org.au/end-of-year-christmas-appeal-2022/
