Frankston Life Community
Based in VICSupports people doing it tough in Frankston with food relief, mentoring and community programs, including a Christmas Lunch.
- Christmas lunch
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
A charity Christmas appeal worth backing
The lead-up to Christmas is when local charities need the most help. Back a charity Christmas appeal from one of these six in about a minute, and 100% of your donation goes to them.
ACNC Verified
100% of donations to charities
What a charity Christmas appeal pays for
Christmas appeals are the extra push charities make in the lead-up to December. They pay for food hampers, free Christmas Day lunches, presents for kids, and company for people who'd otherwise spend the day alone.
Need spikes because costs stack up all at once: school holidays, bigger bills and the pressure to put something under the tree. Plenty of local charities lean on this season to keep going for the rest of the year. If someone's struggling to eat week to week, our guide to emergency food relief covers the charities doing that all year round.
Want to give in someone else's name instead? Our guide to donating to charity as a gift shows you how.
- HampersFood and essentials packed up for families to enjoy at home.
- Christmas Day lunchesFree meals and company for people who would otherwise be on their own.
- Gifts and boxesPresents and care boxes so kids and families don't miss out.
Six charities running Christmas appeals
Each one is ACNC-registered and listed on Tap4Change. Tap a card to see their profile, their latest updates and how to give.
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Ballarat Foundation United Way
Based in VICManages appeals and grants across Ballarat for youth, food security, housing and mental health, including its Christmas and Winter Appeals.
- Christmas appeal
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
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Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre
Based in NSWSupports local people affected by floods, domestic violence, isolation and the cost of living, including with Christmas hampers.
- Christmas hampers
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
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Westcare Community Services
Based in NSWProvides emergency relief, domestic violence support and community programs, and runs a Christmas Appeal.
- Christmas appeal
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
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Kardinia Community Services
Based in VICSupports community needs in Australia and overseas, including packing Christmas Boxes in Ballarat and Geelong.
- Christmas boxes
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
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Hawkesbury's Helping Hands
Based in NSWSupports people experiencing homelessness and the working poor with meal services, emergency hampers and disaster relief, including a free Christmas Day Lunch in South Windsor.
- Christmas lunch
- Tax deductible
- ACNC registered
Want a different charity? Search all 60,000+ charities. How we picked these six: from Tap4Change's charity data, we took charities that run a Christmas appeal, lunch, hamper or gift program for people in need, rated 2 or 3 stars with a complete profile, and ranked them by their most recent annual donations. We only included charities whose Christmas programs help people in Australia, and left out churches whose main work is worship.
A thank you perk from brands that do good
Some donations come with a thank you perk from a partner brand, like a voucher or a free product. It's a small thanks for showing up, never the reason to give. Offers change often, so check what's on when you donate.
See brands that do goodBring your mates along
Share what you stand for with your mates and family. Explore what others stand for, donate with them, or build your own impact profile. Small taps add up, and together they turn ripples into waves of change.
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When a Christmas appeal matters most
Christmas lands differently for everyone. These are the moments an appeal makes the biggest difference, and the charities above already show up for them.
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When the cupboard is bare
A hamper means a proper Christmas meal at home without blowing the budget for January.
Mullumbimby Neighbourhood Centre gives out Christmas hampers -
On Christmas Day itself
For people on their own, a shared lunch can be the best part of the season.
Frankston Life Community runs a Christmas Lunch -
For kids who would miss out
A box of presents means no child wakes up to nothing on Christmas morning.
Kardinia packs Christmas Boxes in Ballarat and Geelong -
Across a whole town
Community appeals pool donations and spread them across local charities that know who needs help.
Ballarat Foundation runs Christmas and Winter Appeals
What your donation actually pays for
Your donation covers the food and gifts, and the less glamorous bits too: cooking gear and venues for Christmas lunches, transport to deliver hampers, and the time it takes volunteers to pack and hand everything out. Giving early helps charities plan and buy in bulk, but a donation in the last week still lands.
Programs listed come from each charity's details in Tap4Change's charity data. For how fees, ACNC registration and tax receipts work, see the Tap4Change FAQs, the ACNC Charity Register and the ATO's gifts and donations guide.
Christmas appeal questions, answered
When should I donate to a charity Christmas appeal?
Any time before Christmas helps, and earlier is better. Charities use early donations to plan how many hampers, lunches and gifts they can promise, and to buy in bulk.
That said, a donation in the final week still gets used. Many charities keep supporting people through the summer holidays, when services close and bills keep coming.
What does a Christmas appeal donation actually buy?
It depends on the charity. Common examples are food hampers, free Christmas Day lunches, presents for kids and care boxes for families. Each charity's Tap4Change profile shows the programs it runs.
Money also covers the behind-the-scenes costs that make it happen, like transport, cooking equipment and venues. Those rarely get donated, so cash fills the gap.
Are Christmas appeal donations tax deductible?
Yes, if the charity you choose is eligible. Tax deductibility is shown at the top of each charity's page on Tap4Change. Donations to a charity endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), and covered by Item 1 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, are tax deductible.
All six charities on this page are marked as tax deductible in our charity data. You can download your receipt from your profile to claim it at tax time.
Can I donate to a Christmas appeal on behalf of someone else?
Yes. Lots of people give to a Christmas appeal instead of buying another present. Donate as usual, then let the person know you've given in their name.
The receipt stays in your name, so any tax deduction is yours. Our guide to donating to charity as a gift has more ideas.
What is a thank you perk, and does it change my donation?
A thank you perk is a small gesture from a brand that partners with Tap4Change, such as a voucher or a free product, offered with some donations. Your donation still goes 100% to the charity. The perk comes from the brand, and offers rotate, so what's available depends on when you give.
If you can't donate right now, reach out to the Tap4Change team at support@tap4change.org. Sharing a charity's page is a great way to help too.