fbpx

What is Santa's Little Helpers?

Imagine a child waking up on Christmas morning, their heart full of hope but their circumstances clouded with uncertainty. For many children across Southeast Queensland, Christmas isn’t a time of joy but a reminder of their struggles—whether they’ve faced homelessness, domestic violence, or are growing up in foster care.

For the past 8 years, Santa’s Little Helpers has stepped in to change that story. Through the generosity of hundreds of individuals, families, and businesses, we’ve ensured that these children—our community’s most vulnerable—have a Christmas they’ll never forget. Each child, nominated by organizations working on the frontlines, gets to write their own Christmas wish list. And thanks to Santa’s Little Helpers, those wishes come true.

Since 2017, we’ve delivered over half a million dollars’ worth of gifts—$590,000 in total—making sure every child feels seen, valued, and loved on Christmas morning. But the impact goes far beyond the gifts. For a child who has faced hardship, receiving a present they specifically wished for is a moment of pure magic, restoring their belief that good things can happen to them.

This year, as families battle the rising cost of living and housing crises, the need is greater than ever. We are committed to brightening Christmas for 300 children, but we can’t do it alone.

Will you join us? By becoming one of Santa’s Little Helpers, you’ll not only be fulfilling a child’s Christmas wish—you’ll be part of something truly life-changing. The gift you give will bring joy, hope, and a sense of normalcy to a child who needs it most.

Together, let’s make this Christmas one they’ll always remember. Are you ready to make a difference? Sign up today and help us spread the magic of Christmas.

Step 1

Sign up and let us know how many lists you would like to fulfil. Plus you can specify the age and gender you would like to shop. We will allocate your wishlists from 1st November.

Step 2

Receive your Wishlist allocations. Shop for and wrap your child's gifts updating us with your progress and photos along the way.

Step 3

Deliver your gifts to Lighthouse. We will email you with delivery instructions closer to delivery date. We will then pass on your gifts to the child.

We know that time can be a challenge, especially during the busy Christmas season. If you’d love to participate but can’t find the time to shop, you can still make a huge impact! By sponsoring a wishlist with a $200 donation, our team will shop for a child on your behalf, ensuring their Christmas wish comes true.

2023 Highlights

Join the Santa's Little Helpers Community

FAQ's

Where do the gifts go?
 

We partner with a network of trusted and verified organisations across the community to ensure that the children nominated for our program are those who truly need it most. These organisations work directly with families facing significant challenges, from domestic violence to homelessness, and carefully select the most vulnerable children to receive gifts.

Once our amazing Santa’s Little Helpers have completed their shopping, all the gifts are delivered to Lighthouse Care. From there, our partner organisations collect the gifts and personally ensure they are distributed to the children in time for Christmas.

By working closely with these local organisations, we can guarantee that every gift goes directly into the hands of a child who deserves some extra joy this Christmas.

We begin sending out wishlists to our Santa’s Little Helpers shoppers from 1st November, and all gifts must be delivered to Lighthouse between 2nd and 6th December.

We know that time can be a challenge, especially during the busy Christmas season. If you’d love to participate but can’t find the time to shop, you can still make a huge impact! By sponsoring a wishlist with a $200 donation, our team will shop for a child on your behalf, ensuring their Christmas wish comes true.

To sponsor a wishlist, simply click here  and help us bring joy to a child this Christmas.

A wishlist is where the magic of Santa’s Little Helpers begins. Each child nominated to receive gifts through this initiative is given the opportunity to create their own personal wishlist. These children, many of whom are facing incredibly tough circumstances, share their first name, age, interests, favourite colour, and specific items they hope for—something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.

The role of our Santa’s Little Helpers is to bring this list to life by fulfilling as many items as possible, with a total value of up to $200. This thoughtful approach ensures that every child receives gifts that are not only fun but also meaningful to them. It’s about more than just presents—it’s about making their Christmas wishes come true.

The wishlist includes fields for both shoe and clothing sizes. However, if the child doesn’t provide that information, unfortunately, we won’t be able to retrieve it later. In this case, we recommend focusing on non-clothing items that align with the child’s interests, favourite colour, or other details they’ve shared. This way, you can still choose thoughtful and personalised gifts that will bring joy to the child, even without specific sizing.

We believe every child deserves to feel truly special, especially at Christmas. The $200 price tag ensures that these children, many of whom have faced unimaginable hardships, experience the joy and excitement of receiving gifts they’ve wished for—a joy that can light up their entire holiday season.

However, we understand that $200 may not be feasible for everyone who wants to be involved. If that’s the case, why not consider teaming up with friends, family, or colleagues to shop for a child together? We love seeing people come together in this way each year, pooling their generosity to make a child’s Christmas dreams come true.

It’s also a wonderful opportunity to teach your own children about the power of giving. By involving them in the process, you’re showing them the importance of kindness and empathy, and that there are children in their own community who go without, not just at Christmas, but every day.

Together, we can make a big impact—and bring even bigger smiles to these deserving children.

For any additional questions or to get in contact please email santa@lighthousecarecare.org.au

Donate Food

We're looking for donations of food and groceries from farmers, manufacturers, and retailers across Australia.

Make a donation

$25 provides a trolley of food for a family in need

Local Heroes

Learn how you can take your giving to the next level and make an even greater impact.

Good Apparel

Every $25 t-shirt purchase provides a trolley of food for a family needing emergency assistance.