This Christmas season, one local church is modelling a beautiful spirit of local partnership to help lighten the load for families to be able to have gifts under the tree – and this year they’re including a focus on foster carers.
LifeHouse Care, the community arm of LifeHouse Church on the NSW mid-North Coast, wants to help make Christmas more affordable through their Under the Tree campaign.
Nato Hannaford, who leads LifeHouse Care says, “Not many people are going to want to open up about it but there are families who can’t afford to put something under the tree. The rising cost of living is affecting everyone and having this avenue for people, you just know it’s going to fulfil a need.”
It takes a collaborative community effort, reflecting a belief at the heart of The Homeward Project, that we’re better together! Individuals and local businesses contribute brand new toys for kids aged up to 18 years of age. Volunteers from the church and community help host pop-up Christmas Toy Shops across a number of locations, where families can come and grab something special for a very small fee. The approach is intentional, Nato explains, “It’s not just a hand-out, it’s giving the dignifying experience of purchasing something, with choice, and having something to put under the tree at Christmas. On the day, there’s a sense of joy and hope in the air that there is a possibility for a better day.”
Invitations are extended to families doing it tough, either directly or through local community organisation partners. This year, an invitation is also being extended specifically to foster care organisations and foster carers from churches across Coffs Harbour.
Foster and Kinship Carers work hard to provide nurturing, loving care for the children in their home and it can sometimes be difficult to cover the extra costs that come with this. Christmas can be a challenging time of year, with celebration and heartache existing in the same space. A time of year that is known for a focus on ‘family’ can understandably be very difficult to navigate for children and young people who aren’t able to be with their birth families.
LifeHouse Church is passionate about supporting those involved in the ministry of foster carer and The Homeward Project is privileged to come alongside them in these efforts. Extending an invitation to Under the Tree and supporting foster care at Christmas is one example of the year-round opportunities to support families and organisations involved in the Out-of-Home Care system.
The Homeward Project comes alongside local churches to explore how their existing ministries can connect with the needs in the Out-of-Home Care space. We can also provide new ideas and a framework of resources and support for holistic ministry in this area. From a Christmas Appeal, to raising awareness of the need for more foster carers, to offering use of church facilities, to mobilising volunteers to support carers; we believe the local church has a significant role to play.
Find out more about partnering with The Homeward Project at the link below or get in touch at hello@homewardproject.org
You can find out more about the LifeHouse Care Under the Tree campaign here, where you can contribute by making an online donation and the team will purchase a gift using the funds.
