Two hundred struggling Canberra families and people in need will have a better Christmas this year, thanks to HelpingACT.

Keeping its tradition of the last four years, the charity packed 200 Christmas food hampers and 15 0 toys on Saturday 17 December, at The Link – Ginninderry.

“The event was a great success,” HelpingACT’s founder and president, Mohammed Ali, ACT Citizen of the Year, said – indeed, beyond his expectations.

Last year, 40 volunteers came. This year, there were 72, including ACT Senior Australian of the Year, Professor Tom Calma; ACT Australian Local Hero, Dr Shamaruh Mirza; and MLAs Tara Cheyne, Rebecca Vassarotti, Jo Clay, Andrew Braddock, Elizabeth Lee, and Peter Cain.

Ninety hampers were given out to homeless people at the Early Morning Centre’s Christmas party on Monday. 25 hampers were given to refugees and asylum seekers through Companion House; 50 to vulnerable families who need food support; and 10 went to Havelock Housing.

The remaining hampers and toys are being given out at HelpingACT’s new food station at the Theo Notaras Building, Civic, and at their Franklin hub.

The hampers contain Christmas goodies (puddings, lollies, chips, poppers, and party food) and long-life food so recipients will not need to shop for a week, Mr Ali said.

There are separate kinds for each group. For instance, refugees and asylum seekers need basmati rice and lentils, while homeless people will get 75 mL containers of UHT milk, rather than one-litre cartons, so they will not have to carry heavy loads.

• HelpingACT feeds homeless at the Early Morning Centre (13 September)
• Mohammed Ali named Canberra Citizen of the Year 2022 (15 March)

The need for food has doubled in Canberra since the pandemic began, Mr Ali said earlier this year – and at least half the families who approached the charity recently through the website are new, he said this week. He believes this is due to rising costs of living.

“Nearly 60 per cent of requests coming these days mention hardship,” he said.

This includes families affected by domestic violence; people with disabilities; and anyone who is still working but finds it difficult to pay bills, and who put nutritious food way down their list of needs, Mr Ali said.

If you need aid, HelpingACT’s food station is at Room 12, level 2, Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, 180 London Circuit, Civic, 11am to 1 pm, every day until Friday 29 December. (Closed Christmas.) Business as usual from 2 January.

You can also call HelpingACT (details online), or contact the charity through its website. HelpingACT will deliver food to people’s homes, or requesters can pick up the food from 14 Daniels Street, Franklin, between 6pm and 8pm daily.

 The public can help by donating in cash or in kind. Cash donations can be made through HelpingACT’s website, or via Hands Across Canberra.

If 2,000 families gave $10 a month, Mr Ali said, that would be more than enough to cover food and the charity’s other work.

Refugees and asylum seekers sometimes ask for a dining table or white goods; when winter comes, they need blankets, Mr Ali said. HelpingACT also runs school breakfast programs. Sometimes other organisations ask HelpingACT for food: when 14 people were stranded in the bush by floods, HelpingACT delivered. Mr Ali also intends to organise seminars for digital awareness for CALD community elders, a joint venture with Ginninderry.

Long-life food can be donated to the Theo Notaras food station or Daniels Street at any time.

“Canberra is an affluent city,” Mr Ali said. “There is no excuse with us that any mother is struggling with the thought: What will I feed my kids for dinner, or next day in the morning for school? What will I give them in their lunchboxes?”

His dream, and the charity’s mission, is that nobody in Canberra will go to bed hungry.

“We can certainly do it. If one in 10 people in Canberra need food help, then nine of us can help that one person.”

Mr Ali commended the ACT Government on their discretionary grant for refugees and asylum seekers who are in dire need. He would like the government to set up a similar small grant ($500 or so) for working poor families that could be executed through HelpingACT. Given the after-effects of COVID will be sustained for quite some time, and another wave of COVID is expected, he fears the situation will get worse.

Mr Ali thanked the dedicated volunteers and HelpingACT’s friends for their efforts throughout the year.