The Forge, a popular shopping centre based in Glasgow’s East End, is calling out to the local community for some welcome additional support with their Christmas initiative.
The Giving Tree project is all about raising funds to buy Christmas presents and food for children from the poorest households in the local community; youngsters who may otherwise receive nothing this year.
It’s so simple to get involved!
Shoppers and visitors can visit the Giving Tree, located within the shopping centre, and provide a gift card to help buy a child’s present and / or food shopping voucher in aid of With Kids Glasgow. Donations can also be made online by visiting justgiving.com/withkids.
This is the fifth year in a row that The Forge has launched their powerful campaign, but donations and contributions have dropped on previous years.
Jade Wilkie, marketing manager at The Forge, said: “Many people are going through their own financial problems, so we did anticipate that figures would struggle to match those from previous years.
“That being said, there’s less than two weeks to go until our initiative comes to an end, and there’s still over 100 local, hardworking families who are going to wake up on Christmas morning with no food and no presents. Together, there must be more we can do.”
The campaign has proved a resounding success in previous years, with The Forge helping over 1,630 families and 880 children, while in 2020 over £18,500 was raised. Now, at a time when families are relying on the generosity of others more than ever before, donations are slow coming in.
Jade continued: “Some people hesitate to donate to causes like this because they feel pressured to commit to a gesture that isn’t within their own financial means. With our Christmas initiative, that isn’t the case – when we say ‘any donation, no matter how small’, we really mean it. Times are tough for everybody right now, so if we all just give whatever we can, we can still help others during such a crucial time.
“There’s no shame in leaning on the community. Thanks so much to everyone who has donated so far, and a huge thank you in advance to those who plan to. You have no idea just how much you’re going to help a family in need.”
Visit the Giving Tree, located within the shopping centre, to provide a gift card for a family in need, or make a donation online by visiting justgiving.com/withkids.