Families in crisis: Carrie's Place calls out for donations

East Maitland based Domestic Violence and Homelessness Service, Carrie's Place is just one of many Hunter services who are seeing the effects of cost-of-living struggles this Christmas.

Carrie's Place CEO, Jayne Clowes said there's an awful lot of people out there doing it incredibly tough at the moment.

"Christmas is just another added pressure for families," she said.

Each Christmas, Carrie's Place puts the call out for non-perishable food items and gift donations.

Ms Clowes said there has been a huge increase in people needing emergency relief, which includes fuel and non-perishable food items.

"What we believe is happening is that for families to be able to pay bills, they're having to shuffle money around and for some families it may be a choice of do we put petrol in the car or do we put a meal on the table," she said.

In October alone, Carrie's Place gave out about 44 bags of groceries and 60 frozen dinners, which all comes from donations.

"We've had a woman sleeping on our veranda and we've never actually witnessed those kind of things before and that's an indication on how tough it is," Ms Clowes said.

Community members who can afford to give this year are encouraged to donate a Christmas hamper, which will be distributed to Carrie's Place clients and their children.

Christmas pudding, chocolates, lollies, a packet of sweet biscuits, orange juice and a box of Christmas bon bons are amongst some of the twelve items listed.

This year, Carrie's Place is also calling for Stockland Greenhills Gift Cards, gift cards to food outlets, opal cards or phone credit.

Events and Fundraising Coordinator at Carrie's Place Rekekah Sadlier said gift cards from Woolworth's or Coles are another way of giving to Carrie's Place this Christmas.

"The supermarket vouchers will gift a local family their Christmas dinner," she said.

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Ms Sadlier said they have been blown away by the community's generosity so far, including Thornton Public School who wanted to do a food drive for charity.

"Their donations completely filled my Prado boot and backseat with lots of children snacks, and non-perishable food items that families need each week," she said.

Ms Sadlier said some families still have 18-year-olds living them so gifts for teenagers and young adults are also appreciated.

"We're hoping to do a massive drive for gift cards so that we can give teenagers the ability to have what we would take for granted as an everyday experience," she said.

"If people want to buy a Stockland gift card, they can go to customer care and donate it into the Carrie's Place donation box."

Tenambit BMX Club, in conjunction with AusCycling are also donating near-new bikes to Carrie's Place clients and 20 helmets.

"We've gone out to our families to see whether any of the children would like a bike and we've already had 11 come back to say yes," Ms Sadlier said.

All donations must be dropped off at Carrie's Place office (Level 1, 116 High Street, East Maitland) by December 8.