Moorabool residents are being encouraged to embrace the spirit of Christmas by taking part in Bacchus Marsh Uniting Church’s reverse advent calendar program.
Participants can collect a box from the church on Gisborne Road, in which they can place an item to donate to locals in need each day.
The boxes include a list of suggested donations, which include pasta, rice, past sauce, tea, coffee and toiletries.
Reverse advent calendar co-ordinator Iris Blythe said the program aimed to encourage people to think of others during the festive season.
“After the pandemic, everyone thought it would get better, but for many people it hasn’t,” she said.
Ms Blythe said local groups had banded together to fill boxes, while some people had collected boxes for family members from outside of the area to fill.
Local schools are also taking part with Myrniong Primary School collecting 10 boxes, Pentland collecting four and Maddingley Montessori Centre also collecting four.
“They put them in the foyer and families fill them. It helps because sometimes families can’t fill a box themselves,” Ms Blythe said.
The boxes need to be returned to the church on 14-15 December so they can be checked and their items distributed to charity partners Soul Food, Uniting and CAFS (Child and Family Services).
