It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without PICAL
It simply wouldn’t be Christmas for more than 100 Phillip Island families without the annual Christmas Hampers from the local Neighbourhood House, PICAL, where volunteers helped pack and distribute the hampers, including all the Christmas trimmings on Friday.
CHRISTMAS wouldn’t feel like Christmas for hundreds of Phillip Island families and individuals without PICAL.
Affiliated with Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland (NHG), and 400 others statewide, Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre is responsible for delivering a wide range of vital services that would otherwise go missing in the local community.
But it’s at this time of the year when households of all kinds are under pressure that they really come to the fore supplying more than 100 Christmas Hampers to families, couples and individuals while also working wonders with the Phil Dixon Food Pantry.
And much of it is down to the work of hundreds of PICAL volunteers and the local businesses which donate food and gifts.
Friday December 19 was delivery day for Christmas Hampers with almost 120 going out the door of the Warley Street centre and still with plenty of supplies left over should further need arise.
“It’s something we really enjoy doing each year,” said PICAL assistant centre manager Kerryn Ladell.
“Registrations for the Christmas Hampers closed last Friday and today is the final pick-up day,” she said on Friday, December 19.
“It can be a stressful time of the year for many and if this relieves the pressure a bit that’s great.
“The hampers include a lot of the things you need for the day, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, hams, custard, mince pies, shortbread, nuts, lollies, and a bathroom pack, dignity products bag, soft drinks, decorations, and some toys and gifts for under the tree.
“We have some wonderful supporters including the supermarkets and local business. We purchase some of it ourselves and some from kind cash donations and they’re packed by our volunteers,” said Ms Ladell.
Of course, the famous ‘Phil Dixon’ Food Pantry operates five days-a-week, Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm with around 30 people daily, supported with ready-made meals or the non-perishable food and veggies etc to make their own meals.
It’s a year-round service, again heavily supported by PICAL’s volunteers.
Like all Neighbourhood Houses, PICAL relies on the generosity of the community and if you’re considering making a donation at Christmas, as part of your gift-giving plans, you need look no further than PICAL as a worthy cause.
Donations can be made online HERE where you can hit the ‘donate’ button.
