6 causes to donate to this Christmas

6 causes to donate to this Christmas. Source: Getty

From devastating bushfires to a global pandemic, 2020 has hit hard.

Many Australians have found themselves relying on Government welfare and the charity of others for the first time in their life, while those already in the system were faced with more uncertainty than ever before.

That’s why this Christmas, it’s more important than ever to give the gift of giving - if you can afford it, of course.

If you’re unsure where to start, Yahoo Finance has put together a list of a few causes you can donate to this Christmas.

Women’s shelters

The coronavirus pandemic put more women out of work than men, and with lockdown restrictions forcing Australians to stay home, domestic violence surged.

A July survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed that nearly 10 per cent of Australian women in a relationship had experienced domestic violence during COVID-19, and two-thirds of the women said the attacks started or became worse during the pandemic.

With that in mind, women’s shelters have been inundated with women and their children seeking refuge from violent partners, or experiencing homelessness.

You can donate to:

• Women’s community shelters here;

• Women’s Safety Services SA here;

• Women’s Legal Service NSW, SA, VIC, QLD, WA;

• Domestic Violence Crisis Services here;

• Share the Dignity here.

Wildlife and fire brigades

Australia’s wildlife was decimated by the bushfires, with an estimated half a billion native animals killed as a result of the devastation.

You can donate to:

• Wildlife Victoria here;

• WIRES Wildlife Rescue here;

• Koala Hospital Port Macquarie here.

You can also donate to your local rural fire brigade:

• South Australia here;

• Victoria here;

• NSW here;

• Queensland here.

Disadvantaged children

Children of disadvantaged families often don’t get to experience Christmas. The same goes for children with cancer, and those that have come from neglectful environments.

You can donate to:

• The Smith Family here;

• Camp Quality here;

• Australian childhood foundation here;

• Ronald McDonald House here.

Homelessness

Homelessness is expected to surge nine per cent, and 24 per cent more Australian families will experience housing stress in 2021 due to the economic fallout of COVID-19.

And, unless Australia invests in more social housing, the problem is just going to continue to get worse.

You can donate to:

• StreetSmart Australia here;

• Backpack bed for Homeless here;

• Mission Australia here;

• Dignity here.

Indigenous Australians

The Black Lives Matter protests in the US caused Australia to turn inwards, and face its own systemic racial issues.

There are many charities and organisations in Australia that advocate for Indigenous Australians, and provide fundamental legal services to rural communities.

You can donate to:

• North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency here;

• Bábbarra Women’s Centre here;

• ANTaR here.

Refugees

The Murugappan family, also known as the Biloela family, are spending their third Christmas in immigration detention after being moved from the regional Queensland town of Biloela to Christmas Island.

Many other refugees seeking asylum on our shores are also stuck in detention, or have been moved into the community but are struggling to get by.

You can donate to:

• Hope For Nauru here;

• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre here;

• Refugee Council of Australia here.

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