Christmas is a time for giving, but for many families across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter, the festive season can bring additional financial pressure. With the cost of groceries, housing and everyday essentials continuing to stretch household budgets, not everyone can afford Christmas presents or a special Christmas meal.
Thankfully, there are some wonderful local charities, community organisations and volunteers working hard to make Christmas a little brighter for people doing it tough.
If you’re looking for ways to give back this Christmas, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. From donating toys and Christmas gifts to contributing food hampers, supporting local appeals or volunteering your time, even a small act of kindness can make a difference.
It’s also a lovely opportunity to teach kids about generosity, compassion and helping others in their community. Whether you choose a gift together, add a few extra groceries to your shopping trolley or participate in a community collection, there are lots of ways families can help.
We’ve rounded up Christmas donation drives, charity appeals and volunteering opportunities across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens and the Hunter for 2026.
Good to know: Many Christmas appeals have donation deadlines in November or early December to give volunteers time to sort and distribute gifts and hampers. Check the details before donating, as collection locations, accepted items and deadlines vary.
Jump to: Toy and Gift Drives | Food and Hamper Appeals | Support Domestic and Family Violence Services | How Families Can Give Back This Christmas
Christmas Toy and Gift Drives
We Care Christmas Gift Drive 2026
We Care Connect supports children living in poverty across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and Central Coast, and their Christmas appeal focuses on new toys for kids aged newborn to 18, with the greatest need usually for babies and toddlers and for teens aged 13 to 18.
This year, We Care Connect is calling on the Hunter community to help make Christmas brighter for more than 4,000 local children who might otherwise go without presents this year. The We Care Christmas Gift Drive is collecting brand-new, unwrapped gifts for children aged 0–18, with a particular need for gifts suitable for babies and toddlers aged 0–2 and teenagers.
Donations will help We Care Connect’s volunteer elves prepare Christmas bundles filled with presents, books, craft packs and stocking fillers. For some children, these may be the only presents they receive on Christmas morning. Families can get involved by choosing a gift together, while businesses, schools, sporting clubs and community groups are encouraged to organise their own gift collections.
Donation deadline: Friday 4 December 2026.
What to donate: Brand-new, unwrapped gifts for children aged 0–18, particularly babies, toddlers and teenagers.
Where to donate: Participating collection points across the Hunter.
More information: We Care Connect Christmas Gift Drive collection points. Organisations interested in organising a collection can email bronwyn.b@wecareconnect.org.au.
Bikers For Kids Newcastle Toy Run
Join thousands of motorbikes as they ride into Connolly Park, Carrington for the region’s biggest community Christmas event. The Bikers For Kids Newcastle Toy Run will be held on Sunday 6 December 2026. Riders meet from 8am at Ballast Park, Stockton, with departure at 10am sharp, arriving at Connolly Park for a free Family Day with face painting, market stalls, food trucks and live music. Donating a toy or a monetary contribution to the Toy Run supports the Salvation Army’s local Christmas Appeal, and it’s the oldest and only RMS and police-approved toy run of its kind in Australia.
Date: Sunday 6 December 2026.
Time: 9am–2pm.
Location: Connolly Park, Carrington.
Cost: Free entry.
More information: Newcastle Toy Run.
St Nicholas Christmas Giving Tree 2026
St Nicholas is bringing back its Christmas Giving Tree in November to support children, families and people experiencing hardship through CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning.
This year, families will be invited to make financial donations rather than bringing physical gifts to their St Nicholas centre or service. Contributions will help CatholicCare provide Christmas gifts for children and practical assistance to people doing it tough.
Children attending St Nicholas Early Education and OOSH services will also have opportunities to participate in Christmas activities focused on kindness and generosity.
Donation deadline: Thursday 10 December 2026.
How to donate: Online donations
More information: St Nicholas Christmas Giving Tree.
Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal is a popular way for families to support people in need at Christmas. Shoppers can participate by donating gifts through participating Kmart stores, helping bring Christmas joy to children and families experiencing hardship. It’s an easy way to get kids involved in giving back. Encourage them to choose a gift for someone their own age and talk about how their generosity could help another family celebrate Christmas.
When: 10 November to 24 December 2026.
Where: Participating Kmart stores. Local participating stores include Glendale, Charlestown, Kotara, Maitland, Salamander Bay and Waratah.
Check the official Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal information for accepted gifts and donation instructions.
Salvation Army Christmas Toy Drive
If a trip to Kmart isn’t practical, the Salvos also collect new, unwrapped toys through local Newcastle Permanent and Greater Bank branches each December. It’s a handy drop-off option if you’re already banking in person, with the appeal usually closing in the two weeks before Christmas. Check with your local branch for this year’s collection dates.
John Hunter Children’s Hospital Joy of Giving Appeal
For kids spending Christmas in hospital, the John Hunter Children’s Hospital runs its Joy of Giving Appeal each festive season, bringing special visits from firefighters, sports players and even Santa, along with donated gifts and craft activities for patients and their families. The appeal generally runs from early December through to Christmas Day. Check with John Hunter Children’s Hospital or Hunter New England Health for this year’s donation details.
Christmas food and hamper appeals
Share the Dignity: It’s In The Bag
Donate a bag as part of the Share The Dignity’s It’s In The Bag campaign. Fill a bag (new or good quality secondhand) with essentials for a woman or girl in need, such as toiletries, sanitary products and a few special extras like makeup or a book. Choose from an Adult bag, Teen bag (tagged with a yellow ribbon) or Mum & Bub bag (tagged with a purple ribbon). Drop your bag at a collection box at your local Bunnings between 6 and 22 November 2026. Can’t get to Bunnings? You can sponsor a bag online instead and Share the Dignity will pack and deliver it for you.
Donation dates: 6–22 November 2026.
Where to donate: Drop off your completed bag at a participating Bunnings store.
Can’t get to Bunnings? You can sponsor a bag online, and Share the Dignity will pack and distribute it on your behalf.
More information: Share the Dignity – It’s in the Bag.
Soul Hub
Soul Hub provides meals, practical assistance and a welcoming community for people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage and social isolation in Newcastle. The organisation relies on community generosity to continue its work and accepts financial donations and selected everyday essentials.
Soul Hub has previously run Christmas appeals involving food hampers and donations of essential items. Details of a dedicated 2026 Christmas collection have not yet been confirmed, but you can still support its ongoing work.
More information: Soul Hub.
Maitland Mayor’s Christmas Toy and Food Appeal
Maitland City Council partners with Maitland Region Community Support and the Susan Roskell Toy Drive each year to fill Christmas hampers for local families. Donations of nonperishable and Christmas-themed food, plus new unwrapped toys and gifts, can be dropped at any Maitland Libraries branch (Maitland, East Maitland, Rutherford or Thornton) or the Maitland Administration Centre. The appeal typically opens in late October and runs through to late November. Exact 2026 dates hadn’t been published at the time of writing, so check the Maitland City Council or My Maitland website closer to the date.
Lake Macquarie Mayor’s Christmas Appeal
Lake Macquarie City Council runs its own Christmas Appeal each year, collecting toys, food and gifts for local families doing it tough, in partnership with Newcastle Anglican’s Samaritans and local schools. Suggested donations include toiletry packs, gift cards, sunscreen, board games and beach towels for kids. Drop-offs are usually accepted at Lake Mac Libraries branches and the council’s administration building at Speers Point, with the appeal typically closing in mid-December. Check the Lake Macquarie City Council website for this year’s exact dates and locations.
Dullboy’s Christmas Tree Donation Drop
Dullboy’s Social Co in Warners Bay runs an annual toy and gift card donation drive supporting local domestic violence service Got Your Back Sista, with a focus on gifts suitable for kids aged 10 and up. Drop unwrapped donations to the friendly front counter team throughout November and into early December. TO BE CONFIRMED FOR 2026.
Salvation Army Wish Cards
Buy a Wish gift card from the Salvation Army to fund practical support for people in need, such as a Christmas stocking for a child, a Christmas lunch hamper for a family, or a street pack for someone experiencing homelessness.
Support Domestic and Family Violence Services
Several local services supporting women, children and families escaping domestic violence run their own Christmas appeals. Most prefer new, unopened gifts, though some now prefer monetary donations so they can tailor support to each family’s needs.
Warlga Ngurra Women’s and Children’s Refuge (Raymond Terrace) collects new, unopened gifts for babies, children, teens and adults, with drop-off on weekdays between 10am and 3pm in the lead-up to early December. Call 4072 1079 for current details.
Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services (PSFANS) runs a Toy Appeal each year supporting local children and young people experiencing hardship, homelessness or family violence. Check their website for this year’s how-to-help details.
Nova for Women and Children runs a Care at Christmas Appeal, now favouring financial contributions over toys and gifts so they can support women and children throughout the year, not just at Christmas.
Jenny’s Place offers two ways to help: an online Toy Drive (orders usually need to be placed by mid-November) or a general Christmas Appeal. Check their site for this year’s ordering cut-off.
Carrie’s Place supports children aged 0 to 19 and their families across Maitland and the Lower Hunter, and has shifted from traditional food hampers to Groceries Only Gift Cards so families can shop for what they actually need. They also put together toy and gift hampers, with popular items including sporting equipment, art supplies, board games, books and beach towels.
How Families Can Give Back This Christmas
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a difference. There are plenty of simple ways to involve kids in giving back during the festive season.
Get your presents wrapped for a gold coin donation. Head to the Christmas gift wrapping station at Glendale City Centre, run in partnership with the Mark Hughes Foundation, usually open through the second half of December. A volunteer will wrap your gifts for a gold coin donation. Check Glendale City Centre’s socials for this year’s exact dates and hours.
Choose a gift together. Give your child a budget and let them select a Christmas present for another child through a local toy drive.
Add an extra item to your groceries. Pick up a few non-perishable food items or Christmas treats for a local hamper appeal.
Organise a collection. Get together with friends, neighbours, classmates or work colleagues to collect toys, food or essential items.
Donate quality preloved items. Sort through children’s clothes, books and toys and donate suitable items to charities that accept second-hand goods.
Volunteer your time. Check with local charities about suitable volunteering opportunities. Some roles may be better suited to adults or older teenagers.
Make a financial donation. Even a small contribution can help charities purchase the items and services most needed by local families.
Volunteer at a community garden. A great way for kids to learn how food grows and meet neighbours through working bees. There are community gardens dotted right across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Help someone in your street. You don’t have to go far to give back. Mowing an elderly neighbour’s lawn, picking up groceries or dropping off a home-cooked meal are simple ways to model generosity for your kids.
Support Hunter Wildlife Rescue. If your kids are more animal-lovers than anything else, Hunter Wildlife Rescue relies entirely on public donations to care for injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Singleton. It’s a lovely option for families who want to give back to local wildlife rather than people this Christmas, and donations are welcome year-round.
Recycle cans and bottles through Return and Earn. Return your eligible containers to a reverse vending machine and choose to donate your 10c refund to a not-for-profit, sports club or school instead of taking the cash. The recipients are rotated every three months.
Donate to a free community pantry. Take what you need, leave what you can. Community pantries around the region accept tinned food, pasta, rice, baby food, no-prep meals and toiletries year-round, with locations in Newcastle CBD (Christ Church Cathedral), Hamilton (Awaba Park), Merewether (outside Blue Door Cafe), Stockton and Tilligerry Peninsula.
A Few Things to Remember Before Donating
Before dropping off Christmas donations, check what each organisation actually needs.
Most toy drives request brand-new, unwrapped gifts so volunteers can sort presents by age and ensure they’re suitable for recipients. Food appeals generally require unopened, non-perishable items with suitable expiry dates.
Avoid donating broken toys, incomplete games, damaged clothing or food that is past its use-by date.
It’s also worth checking donation deadlines. Some organisations need gifts and hampers by late November or early December to allow enough time for distribution before Christmas.
And remember, if money is tight this year, there’s no pressure to donate. Sharing information about a local appeal or volunteering your time, where possible, can also be a valuable way to help.
Help Make Christmas Brighter for Local Families
Christmas is about more than presents and festive celebrations. It’s also about kindness, connection and looking out for people in our community.
Whether you’re donating a toy, contributing to a Christmas hamper, supporting a local charity or volunteering your time, your generosity can help make the festive season a little brighter for someone else.
We’ll continue updating this guide as more Christmas 2026 appeals are announced across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens and the Hunter.
Know of a local Christmas donation drive or volunteering opportunity we’ve missed? Get in touch with Newy with Kids so we can share it with other local families.