Vanessa's Christmas: A gift of mutual hope and healing

“I love seeing the excitement and gratitude in people’s eyes — especially those who have faced homelessness or domestic violence — when they come in at Christmas time,” says Vanessa. “They can’t believe the care we give, and we are so happy to do it because many of us have been in their shoes. I’ve been there!”

At The Salvation Army in Beechworth, Vanessa is a volunteer who helps coordinate Christmas support for more than 40 families each year. She orders food, packs hampers, sorts toys by age group, works with a team of volunteers and more. Leftover toys are sent to neighbouring Salvos centres so no donation goes unused.

She also coordinates crisis support for at least 80 people a year, along with assistance for families of those incarcerated at a local facility.

Through volunteering, Vanessa has discovered a truth many Salvos volunteers come to know — that in giving to others, they receive much in return. “People think I’m helping them, and I’ll accept a thank you because gratitude is important,” she says, “but truthfully, it’s helped me so much.

A childhood where Christmas brought fear

Vanessa’s early years were marked by fear, violence and worse. Christmas and birthdays became times to dread rather than celebrate, and she desperately wanted to stay hidden and unnoticed.

Her mother, who endured years of severe and terrifying domestic and family violence herself, often lashed out at Vanessa, who also experienced abuse within the wider family. Moments of childish exuberance were frequently met with hostility.

Her mother’s trauma often turned into anger, particularly towards Vanessa, who now understands she became the scapegoat for the family’s pain.

As an adult, still carrying the weight of her past, Christmas continued to bring conflict, estrangement and disappointment for Vanessa. Working as a nurse, she would take every Christmas shift she could to avoid the emotional triggers the season brought.

Finding purpose after retirement

When Vanessa retired, health problems and past trauma made life increasingly isolated. Years of counselling had helped, but she needed connection and purpose.

That came when she began volunteering with the Beechworth Salvos.

“Being here and doing three days a week has probably saved my life,” Vanessa says. “People think I’m outgoing, but I would stick to myself a lot. This has changed me.”

Her role goes far beyond Christmas. Twice a week, she runs welfare support with assistance from a Salvation Army Doorways caseworker who services multiple regional centres. She follows up with everyone who has received support and invites them to return at Christmas.

Vanessa sources food and clothing from partner charities, helps families of those incarcerated and people leaving custody with nothing, and responds to urgent needs from those escaping domestic and family violence. She and the team also support people who find it difficult to secure or maintain housing.

For individuals and families facing hard times, The Salvation Army is here to offer help and share the hope of Jesus.

Beechworth’s Salvos centre also benefits from major community donation drives. Twice a year, local motorbike blanket and toy runs deliver carloads — sometimes truckloads — of goods.

“Pauline [the corps officer/leader] relies on me for sorting goods for both the toy and blanket drives,” Vanessa says. “I go through everything to make sure it’s usable. It’s a huge job. We share with other Salvos services and also respond to specific needs, like blankets, sheets and towels for those starting over after fleeing unsafe home situations.”

With little public transport in the region, the Salvos team also delivers food and essentials to surrounding towns when someone is in need.

Christmas week – the longest of the year

Vanessa starts planning for Christmas in the middle of the year, ordering toys by age group from donations sorted in a Salvos warehouse. She bags up food staples for each person and family, adding festive sweet treats.

She also arranges fresh food from a partner charity and helps create a welcoming space where carers can choose Christmas presents for the children in their lives. Across two days of back-to-back appointments, carers sit down for a chat and then choose food and gifts.

“It’s consistently, absolutely the longest, most exhausting week of my life,” she says with a laugh. “But so rewarding.”

The toy room, set up like a store where carers can pick a certain number of toys per child, is a highlight. “The look on families’ faces when they go in and get so excited – they say, ‘Oh my gosh, I could never afford this.’ There’s genuine gratitude,” she says.

Faith and friendship

Vanessa says her time with the Salvos has also strengthened her faith. She attends church at her local Salvos, studies the Bible and prays regularly. She made a commitment to follow Jesus earlier this year.

“I love that Jesus is so forgiving — you can put the sins of the past at his feet. That’s important to me because of what’s happened in my past. It wasn’t my fault, but there was always a part of me that blamed myself,” she says.

Her relationships with Salvos pastor, Pauline and fellow Salvo member, Linda have been pivotal. “Pauline’s been a great support, helping me realise I’m not to blame for the terrible things that happened,” Vanessa says. “I also love Pauline’s sermons — the songs at church are very joyous. Linda bought me the most beautiful Bible and supports me in my faith.”

Each Christmas Day for the past three years, Vanessa and Pauline have met at a community lunch to care for others but also for each other. Pauline has lost her husband and, like Vanessa, carries the weight of earlier trauma.

Looking for hope this Christmas? Come along to a Salvos event or service near you.

Vanessa sets aside some donations throughout the year for those she knows will really love them at Christmas. She remembers people’s stories and deeply cares.

One man experiencing ongoing trauma has returned several times to help as a volunteer, after receiving a great deal of support himself. He calls Vanessa, Pauline and other volunteers ‘Salvos angels’.

For Vanessa, the work is about giving to others as she deeply understands their pain. But she now has a joy and appreciation for life she could never consistently find in the past.

“People will say, ‘Thank you, you’ve saved me’ — but the truth is, this work has saved me. It truly has. I just love it,” she says.

How you can share the hope of Christmas with others

Vanessa’s story shows that one person can make an incredible difference at Christmas. If you have been inspired and want to help, here are a few ways you can get involved:

• Volunteer your time: Find meaningful volunteer opportunities in your area and discover the joy of giving back.
• Donate to the Christmas Appeal: Your donation can provide toys, food, hampers and critical support for families in need this year.
• Find help and support:If you and your family are facing hard times, The Salvation Army can offer practical help and hope.