Cairns to the Cape

We are excited to be partnering with Churches of Christ for our Cairns to the Cape Christmas appeal! Help us bring joy to children, young people, foster and kinship carers across Cape York this Christmas.

READY TO START?

What is Cairns to the Cape?

The Churches of Christ Children, Youth and Families division is based in Cairns and serves foster children and families in Aurukun, Cairns, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Napranum, Pormpuraaw and Weipa. Children belong in safe and caring homes, but families are complicated and some face significant challenges that mean it’s not safe for children and young people to remain at home. Even while children cannot stay at home, Churches of Christ support them to build positive, healthy relationships with their family through the committed support of foster and kinship carers.

It is thanks to these dedicated individuals and families that children and young people are able to grow and find belonging in their community. Our church is going to bless and encourage them by sending a Christmas gift hamper for each foster family!

How do I participate?

It’s super simple:

1. Choose a foster family from the list and collect a hamper on Sunday (or decide to buy a few items or make an optional donation to contribute to the project).
2. Use the shopping list we provide to go shopping for items to put in the hamper!
3. Return the gifts by Sunday 3rd November.

READY TO START?

Tap here and fill out the form.

What should I buy?

We want to fill these gift hampers to help foster families celebrate Christmas. Special food items, games and activities will bring the whole family together.

Each family has some suggested items to buy. You’ll receive these suggestions if you select a family to fill a hamper for.

Please also buy something from the lists below, and feel free to buy additional items. Please don’t buy any items that are too big, or buy too many items, to make sure that a lid will fit on the hamper. Don’t feel like you have to fill the hamper, only buy what you’re able to.

#1 An item of special Christmas food

Tinned Christmas fruit e.g. cherries/plums
Christmas cake & UHT Custard
Tinned meat
Tinned wafer biscuits/sticks
Soup
Rice

#2 An item as a special snack

Dried fruit
Jerky
Chutney
Tea/Coffee/Hot chocolate
Sugar

#3 A game for the family to play

Card game or small board game
Puzzle

#4 A small gift for each child/teenager

Be mindful of the age and gender of the person you are buying for.
FOR CHILDREN – Book, toy, sport, hobby item, craft kit, hat, hairbrush/comb/hair ties (gift set), bath or body lotion (gift set).
FOR TEENAGERS – headphones, speaker, comic book, jewellery, fishing gear, hairbrush/comb/hair ties (gift set), bath or body lotion (gift set).

#5 Something special to celebrate

Christmas decorations
Christmas crackers (bon bons)
A hand-written Christmas greeting card

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there anything I am not allowed to buy?

Please do not include aerosol cans, medicine, vitamins, used clothes, anything easily breakable or food that melts easily or will perish in the next 6 months. You can wrap gifts with clear cellophane, but don’t fully seal the wrapping as each item needs to be checked by staff before delivery. Please don’t buy any items that are too big, or in quantities that prevent the lid from closing.

Can I put in bibles, scriptures, or items about Jesus?

We want to respect and honour the reality that some Aboriginal communities may still suffer effects of historical harm by churches. Our goal is not to evangelise, but to show a simple expression of love and generosity – the recipients will know the gifts come from a church community who cares.

Will the recipients know who bought the gifts for them?

Churches of Christ support workers will personally deliver the gift hampers to each family and explain where the gifts are from. If you include a hand-written Christmas greeting card please only include your first names (e.g. from Nick and Sarah). For any gift hampers made up of contributions from a number of people, we’ll include a card with the first names of those people.

How will the gift hampers get to communities in Cape York?

East Air has offered to fly the gifts to remote communities! Local support workers with Churches of Christ will collect the buckets and personally deliver them to families.

How can I make a financial donation to cover any additional costs?

You can give towards this project by credit card on our website (select “Cairns to the Cape donation”) or at the Info Desk on Sundays, or by placing cash in a marked envelope in a Giving Box at church. Financial donations to Cairns to the Cape will cover any additional costs.

I have more questions or need help.

Contact us and we will get back to you asap.