How to Help Others This Christmas – Lane Cove Donation Guide 2025

By
Renee Maxwell
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Lane Cove locals are incredibly generous. Each year we are asked how people can help families, young people, older residents and even pets who might be doing it tough at Christmas.

This is the 2025 edition of our Lane Cove donation guide. Some details have not yet been confirmed, so we will be updating this guide once we are made aware of additional donation options.

Lane Cove Council – Trees of Joy Gift Drive

Each year Lane Cove Council hosts Christmas giving trees so locals can donate gifts for those in need. Their Trees of Joy collects gifts to be distributed to local families in need in collaboration with Delvena Women & Children’s Refuge and Catholic Care.

They are also a collection point for donations to Share the Dignity, an organisation that donates bags full of essential and personal items to women and girls spending Christmas in a domestic violence refuge or homelessness shelter.

Donation Suggestions
For Delvena Women & Children’s Refuge and Catholic Care: Cinema Pass, Toys for younger children, Vouchers such as iTunes, Dymocks, Coles, Woolworths Other gifts to suit teenage kids

For Share the Dignity, in a small bag you can include: Period Products, Shampoo Conditioner, Toothbrush Toothpaste, Deodorant (roll-on preferred), Soap or Body Wash. More gift ideas on their website! 

  • Tree locations: Lane Cove Council Civic Centre (At the Customer Service Desk), Lane Cove Library, St Leonards Library, Greenwich Library, Kindy Cove
  • Final drop off date: Friday 5 December.

More info, check out the Lane Cove Council’s website HERE

Women & Children First – Delvena Women’s Refuge

This Christmas, we urgently need your support to help more children and their mums make a safe exit from abuse.

Women & Children First support women and children escaping domestic and family violence. For women and children trapped in the grip of domestic violence and abuse, Christmas isn’t the most magical time of year. Financial, social and other pressures dramatically increase the risk of violence during the “festive” season. And because children are on school holidays, they’re more likely to see and experience it.

How to donate
Most support is via financial donations to their official campaign HERE

Stone Greenwich – Share the Dignity

This Christmas, Let’s Give the Gift of Dignity
Your donated bag can bring hope and dignity to someone spending the festive season in a domestic violence refuge or homelessness shelter.
Every bag makes a difference. Let’s come together to help women and girls feel seen, supported, and cared for this Christmas.
What to donate
Fill a new or gently used handbag with essentials like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, pads, and a small gift.
To make it easy, choose which type of bag you’d like to donate — adult, teen, or mum & bub — swipe to view our packing guides.

How to donate
Drop your donation at one of our offices by 27 November, and we’ll deliver everything to Bunnings for collection:

Locations to Drop off: Stone Greenwich: 97 Greenwich Rd OR Stone Crows Nest: 101/70–76 Alexander St

Drop off dates: by 27 November 2025

What to Donate – Quick Cheat Sheet

Not sure what to give? Here are items that are almost always needed:

  • Supermarket and department store gift cards (Coles, Woolworths, Big W, Kmart, Target)
  • Non perishable food (tinned goods, pasta, rice, sauces, long life milk, festive treats)
  • New toys and books for children of all ages
  • Vouchers for teens (cinema, online stores, sport or clothing)
  • Toiletries and self care items
  • Wrapping paper, tape and gift bags
  • New pet toys, treats and bedding for animal appeals

General Donating Guidelines

  • Check the deadline and opening hours for each collection point before you visit.
  • Only donate new items unless the organisation has clearly requested quality pre loved goods.
  • Leave gifts unwrapped unless the charity says otherwise. If you like, include wrapping paper or a gift bag separately.
  • For food donations, choose items with a long use by or best before date and make sure packaging is intact.
  • Think about a range of ages and cultures when choosing gifts.
  • Where a drive uses online ordering or collection systems, remind people they may need to book online and click and collect.

We Will Keep Updating This Page

This guide will be updated as more 2025 donation drives are announced in the Lane Cove area.

If your school, business, community group or building is running a Christmas appeal, or if we have missed something, please email the details so we can share it with our community.

Thank you for helping to make Christmas a little brighter for those in need in Lane Cove.

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