Volunteer in Sydney this Christmas: 10 Ways to Give Back

The Christmas season has arrived, and for many of us, it brings an opportunity to let down our hair, reflect on the year that was and spend time with our nearest and dearest. But for those less fortunate, the festive season can be a challenging time.  

Thankfully, there are incredible charity organisations that help those in need by donating food, gifts and toys, and others provide people experiencing homelessness or social isolation with a place to connect and feel safe in December and beyond. 

If you’d like to give back and help spread the love this festive season, here are 8 charity organisations seeking donations and volunteers in Sydney this Christmas. Every little bit counts. 

Two Good Co

Since launching 10 years ago, Two Good Co has donated over 160,000 restaurant-quality meals to local women's refuges for domestic violence survivors across Sydney and Melbourne. This Christmas, you can purchase a Good Feels Cracker to provide a nutritious and delicious dinner to a women's shelter, plus a few feel-good goodies for you too, including a voucher for a scoop of gelato from Messina and a party hat.

This women's charity works daily to provide resources and support to women escaping violence and abuse, and rebuilding their confidence to get back to their lives.

To get involved you can shop the Good Feels Cracker here, or browse the other products available to purchase here, with every purchase changing someone's future. You can also purchase meals to go directly to women's shelters.

Variety Australia

A children's charity helping kids in need in Sydney (and the rest of the country!) Variety Australia believes every child should get a fair go at Christmas. Helping kids from 0-18 who are sick, disadvantaged or disabled, this charity creates grants to help with movement and therapy, wigs for kids suffering from cancer, and scholarships for those from families doing it tough.

You can donate to a great cause, with donations at this time of year providing very special Christmas parties in Sydney and Newcastle where every child can go home with a gift from Santa. or volunteer your time and provide support, care and entertainment to the kids.

See how you can get involved here.

Share the Dignity Christmas Appeal

Fighting to end period poverty, Share the Dignity is an organisation providing support to women across Australia who don’t have access to sanitary products. Having donated over 4.4 million products, this women's charity is not slowing down.

This Christmas, you can donate money and products to support the great work or get involved by volunteering to host a Packing Party, bringing together friends and family, colleagues and your community to pack bags to be donated. 

For those short on time, the 'It's in the Bag' initiative makes it easy to support women. All you need to do is find an old handbag, fill it with everyday items (think sanitary items, oral care, hair care, deodorant, baby items and body wash) and drop it at a local collection point (they're at Bunnings nationwide) in November. The things we take for granted mean the world to those in need.

Collection points at Bunnings open November 15th - December 1st. See what you can donate here.

Orange Sky  

Orange Sky helps ease the burden on anyone experiencing homelessness or financial hardship by providing free laundry services, warm showers, connection and non-judgemental conversation. By donating to the organisation, you can help provide clean laundry for individuals and families doing it tough this Christmas. Or you can help ease the load by becoming an Orange Sky volunteer – learn more about volunteering here. 

Meals on Wheels 

Meals on Wheels delivers healthy, nutritious meals to old people and young adults living with disabilities, and to their carers. A trusted service in Australia for over 70 years, volunteers offer up their services year-round – whether helping to prepare and cook the food in the kitchens or deliver meals in their cars to those who need it.

A recognised charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission, you can donate directly and provide monetary assistance to support the nearly 600 Meals on Wheels services in Australia. 

However you can help, Meals on Wheels will be grateful for a few extra pairs of hands over the Christmas period. You can learn more about joining the 35,000 volunteers in their efforts to deliver nutritious meals and social connections here. 

The Sydney Basket Brigade 

Run by the Magic Moments Foundation, The Sydney Basket Brigade is a dedicated group of volunteers who pack and deliver baskets of food and other goods (such as toys for kids and festive decorations) to families in time for Christmas Day.

Every year, the organisation relies on volunteers to help round up the donated goods and get them to those in need, and, with 32,000 baskets supplied to date, there is no denying this charity is making a difference. You can donate, register to assist with collections and packing, get your workplace involved or organise a fundraiser. Every bit helps!

Collections open from December 11th, packing day December 14th.

Follow The Sydney Basket Brigade on Facebook for more information 

The Smith Family 

The Smith Family has a mission to overcome educational inequality caused by poverty. Every Christmas, in a gesture of goodwill, The Smith Family would pack and send thoughtful gift hampers filled to the brim with books and toys to over 25,000 disadvantaged children all over Australia, as part of its Book & Toy appeal.

Upon extensive research, The Smith Family ended the Book and Toy appeal in 2023, instead using donations and volunteer support to provide imperative education to children living in poverty in Australia. Now, there are several ways you can help, from volunteering as a tutor, mentor or admin support, to donating gifts or fundraising for the Annual Christmas appeal. Learn more about how you can help here. 

Wayside Chapel 

Wayside Chapel has provided love, care and support for people doing it tough, or, 'falling by the wayside' in central Sydney for over 50 years. Every year, the organisation throws a free Christmas lunch for anyone experiencing homelessness or social isolation at its Potts Point and Bondi Beach locations. Beyond Christmas, volunteers at Wayside Chapel work tirelessly to provide hot showers, clean clothing, medical referrals and housing support to those who desperately need it.

You can donate here and make a difference to the 35,000 people experiencing homelessness in NSW, or 'donate a plate' here for up to 20 people to have a meal on Christmas Day- because everybody deserves a warm meal and a place to be at Christmas. 

Wayside Chapel is trying to raise $1.5 million before December 25th with their Christmas Kindness Challenge, you can get involved and set up a fundraising page here.

OzHarvest 

If you want to give back but are strapped for time or live elsewhere, why not donate some dollars? OzHarvest is a great anti-food waste charity that rescues surplus food – that would otherwise be sent to the landfill – and delivers to over 1300 charities supporting people in need, all over the country!

With four key pillars to the charity - Feed, Educate, Advocate and Innovate, OzHarvest has made an incredible impact in Australia, from one van in Sydney in 2004, to delivering 250 million meals nationally, and has expanded to countries eager to embrace the vision and success of food waste prevention.

OzHarvest has teamed up with Woolworths and provided tens of thousands of meals to Australians in need over the last decade. To mark the 10th annual Christmas Appeal this year, customers at Woolworths are encouraged to make a change. Contributions can be as small as 50c or rounding up your grocery bill at the self-checkout – every little bit counts. You can also donate here. 

OzHarvest can be found in most major cities around Australia, including Sydney. You can register to volunteer over the festive season here. 

The Salvation Army 

Spreading the love all over Australia, The Salvation Army helps around 70,000 Aussie households each year, adding a sprinkle of Christmas spirit to those who need it most. Sign up to wrap presents, pack hampers or deliver toys, or you can donate unwanted clothes or non-perishable foods if you don’t have time to volunteer - we guarantee this small gesture will mean a lot to someone in need!

For a full list of volunteer opportunities in NSW, click here.  

Now that you know how to give back and volunteer in Sydney this Christmas, it's time to embrace the Christmas spirit. Once you’ve sourced a Christmas tree, check out the best light displays in Sydney.