Finance boss helped by Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal as a child sets $500,000 goal
Aussie finance educator Graeme Holm remembers the pressure of Christmas when his family was doing it tough. Now with the help of Kmart and the Salvation Army, he’s helping to pay it forward.
Aussie finance educator Graeme Holm remembers the pressure of Christmas when his family was doing it tough.
Raised by his grandparents and single mum in a housing commission house in Wollongong, The family faced hardships growing up, with support from the local Salvation Army kept them afloat.
“As a Salvos kid, I remember being at the Salvos centre and looking up at the shelves lined with presents for us kids and finding the shelf for my age group,” Mr Holm said.
“I was just so taken aback that a complete stranger would care enough about me.”
His mother, which Mr Holm said was a victim of domestic violence, recalled Christmas not being a happy time, but when he was around six-years old he was lucky enough to be a recipient of the Kmart Salvos Wishing Tree Appeal.
“I still have this deep vivid memory of, ‘wow somebody I’ll never meet had the kindness to give me a present for Christmas,” Mr Holm said.
“It’s something that has always stuck with me, and is exactly the feeling that I want to pass on to other families – that no matter their personal circumstances, there is someone out there who cares enough to make sure they have presents to give their children at Christmas.”
Now the Infinity Group founder is pushing to raise more than $500,000 for the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, a cause he’s backed for over a decade and he describes as “part of the firm’s DNA”.
Now based on the Gold Coast, Mr Holm is rallying a nearly 200-strong team, along with clients and partners, to step up as cost-of-living pressures bite.
Infinity’s community raised more than $200,000 last year, with Holm and wife Rebecca also paying off tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of lay-bys for families in Kmart stores.
This year’s drive got off to a flying start after Homecorp chief executive Ron Bakir pledged $100,000 at an Infinity event — a sum the Mr Holm matched.
The Inifinity team also plan to hit Kmart Broadbeach on 28 November with plans to “clear the shelves” of toys for donation.
“I plan to give each member of my nearly 200 strong team $200 each — $100 to purchase gifts for girls and $100 to purchase gifts for boys. Then the plan is to go wild and fill our trolleys,” Mr Holm said.
Now in its 38th year, the Kmart Wishing Tree is Australia’s longest running gift collection drive and has distributed more than 14 million presents and food to those in need.
“Take your kids into your local Kmart and teach them about the Appeal. It’s an amazing way to give back, and to teach them the value of kindness. It costs nothing to be kind,” Mr Holm said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who helped launch the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal earlier this month, described the initiative as “a reflection of the best of the Australian spirit – generosity, compassion and community.”
“With the support of Kmart and The Salvation Army, it’s always special to see Australians coming together to make Christmas a little brighter for families doing it tough,” Mr Albanese said.
Anyone who donates money to the Wishing Tree helps provide emergency food relief or Christmas hampers for the big day.
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal is on now and runs until Wednesday December 24.
Christmas appeal aims to help kids in need
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal is Australia’s largest and longest running collection drive, which has helped less fortunate Australians for nearly four decades.
Along with The Salvation Army, Kmart are helping support those doing it tough at Christmas by encouraging Australians to embrace the spirit of giving this year.
You can do this by making a cash contribution in store, or online, or giving a gift in store. You can also involve your school or business to support the Appeal.
“Bringing joy to customers is what we’re all about at Kmart, so we’re really proud to have partnered with The Salvation Army in Australia and New Zealand for nearly four decades,” Kmart Group Managing Director Aleks Spaseska said.
Kmart, along with the generous support of our customers have distributed over 14 million gifts to those in need at Christmas, and have thousands of team members dedicated to helping support our communities across all their stores nationwide.
Gifts do not need to be purchased from Kmart but they need to be unwrapped.
With more than 760,000 children currently living in poverty, Kmart alongside The Salvation Army are once again working together to help give hope to Australians who may be struggling with homelessness, illness or family crisis.
“This enduring partnership between Kmart and The Salvation Army has meant that countless numbers of Australians have been able to have the Christmas they deserve, even in really difficult times,” Salvation Army spokesman Captain Kris Halliday said.
“This year, we’re seeing a huge increase in families who have never come to The Salvation Army for support before because of the cost of living crisis they’re doing it particularly tough, and those already vulnerable are doing it even tougher.”
Through a network of programs and community services, the Salvos offer tailored wraparound support to people facing hardship.
“We appreciate all gifts given through the Wishing Tree Appeal, but please don’t forget the older kids, the teens, and even the parents who are also doing it tough,” Capt. Halliday said.
You can also donate to the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal online at: kmartwishingtree.salvos.org.au
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