Christmas at Gioia

The Christmas outreach project this year in Gioia House, will be supporting the work of the St Paul’s Parish Pantry, in Burwood. 

The Action Girls will decorate calico bags with festive images and then fill them with basic needs – and a few little extras –  to help those in need to get through the Summer holiday period when the pantry is closed. 

We invite you to make those Santa Sacks bulge! 

There are many people of Chinese background who know nothing of our traditional Christmas fare, so this year for the first time, St Paul’s is making up bags with more culturally appropriate food – as well as the usual bags. So you will be asked to choose items from Groups A,  B and C to get the range we need. 

It is sobering to realise that the treat requested is a small bottle of sesame oil and a block of chocolate!  Amidst our preparations for Christmas, we can easily forget that there are people in our local community for whom 25 December is just another day of struggle – trying to make ends meet on minimum wages or welfare. Let’s brighten their lives!

Perhaps each time you shop for your family over the next few weeks, you can add something for this appeal and your child can bring in items gradually, to avoid heavy bags. Multiples of the same item are fine; we need to make up about 250 bags. 

LIST A   This is the basic bag for 250 people

Long Life Milk
Cereal (not oats)
Tuna – sustainably caught – medium or large
Rice (small – any type)
2 min. noodles
Packet of biscuits

LIST B is for Chinese people or anyone not celebrating Christmas – for 200 people

Spam
Peanut Butter
Instant Coffee
Sesame Oil
Block of chocolate (Nothing fancy)

LIST C for those celebrating Christmas – for 50 people

Christmas Pudding
Long Life Custard
Tinned ham
Block of cake – Christmas or otherwise
Block of chocolate

If you want to experience the true meaning of Christmas, give something to someone who can offer nothing in return.

Jane Sulis
Coordinator of Outreach