Reverse Advent Calendar 2023: support needed more than ever

Reverse Advent Calendar organiser Heather Luttrell said people are already thinking about how they are going to put food on the table during the holiday season, with some reaching out to request a box already.

In the days leading up to Christmas, the community is encouraged to put a food item or special Christmas treat into a Reverse Advent Calendar box.

It is a tradition Ms Luttrell started with her family in 2012.

In 2018 she started involving the community and now they are able to help thousands of people.

Ms Luttrell said she has a number of families getting ready to start putting their box together.

"It's ingrained into the Ballarat ethos," she said.

Ms Luttrell loves traditions and said it was very special to have so many people in Ballarat encouraging their families to keep this practice alive.

Support services in Ballarat have been dealing with increased demand over the last year.

Earlier this month students at Phoenix P-12 Community College handed more than 2500 cans of food to the Soup Bus.

Founder Craig Schepis anticipated it would last them a week.

Reverse Advent Calendar boxes are then sent to people in Ballarat who register with Uniting, AngliCare, Salvation Army or St Vincent DePaul.

Last year Ms Luttrell hosted a Blessing Day at York Street Church where people were able to collect their boxes.

There was also face painting, a sausage sizzle and a petting zoo.

"Christmas, in the lead up to it, is pretty stressful," Ms Luttrell said.

"To give them a day where all of that was taken off and they could just receive, it was pretty special," she said.

After last year's success, Ms Luttrell said they will be definitely organising another day this year.

Schools around Ballarat are also participating in the drive.

This year Ms Luttrell is encouraging school groups to donate cereal and milk, essential items which can be added to all boxes.

She said bigger items which don't fit into the boxes can be given out during the blessing day.

Boxes can be picked up from November 1 at the following locations:

Along with the box there will also be a flyer which outlines some suggestions of what to put in the box.

Boxes can then be returned on Saturday December 16 at York Street Church of Christ on 410 York Street Ballarat East from 9am to 4pm.

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