A helping hand on a local level
IN A prosperous city like Warwick, there are many families who struggle day to day.
Warwick
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IN A prosperous city like Warwick, there are many families who struggle day to day.
Christmas is a particularly hard time as children add their expectations to the weight of worries affecting so many families.
The Daily News' Adopt-a-Family appeal aims to help make Christmas a special time for many of these families.
The 2014 appeal is being launched today by patron and rugby league legend Shane Webcke.
He has been a part of the appeal for seven years.
Mr Webcke said it was amazing to hear that in Warwick last year there were more people wanting to help out than people who were asking for help.
"Perhaps that shows there are more families out there who need our help and are not getting it," he said.
"When I was growing up our family would have likely needed something like this sort of help. We did it fairly tough.
"My wife and I and our kids now adopt a family each year.
"It's a great way for us to show our kids that some people really do it tough. It's good for the kids to know that.
"But for this appeal, many of these families would be facing a bleak Christmas. That's why I love being a part of it."
APN Australian Regional Media CEO Neil Monaghan said APN newspapers - which includes the Daily News - were committed to their communities.
"We want to create an environment that enables people to put their hand up for help," Mr Monaghan said.
"It's not the Australian way to ask for a handout.
"But we don't want pride to stand in the way of asking for help.
"We are local people helping other local people.
"It's great that our APN newspapers and staff are part of this appeal.
"We are delighted to be able to give something back to the communities we live and work in."
The appeal has been helping families in the Southern Downs region for more than 20 years.
About 2500 families will be helped throughout APN ARM's footprint.
Get involved
The list of families will appear in the Daily News from today and online at www.warwickdailynews. com.au/adoptafamily.
The families will be numbered and listed under each charity.
Sponsors will be asked to provide a food hamper and a present for each member of the family.
Sponsors can be private families, businesses, church groups, schools or even a group of friends who just want to help a struggling family have a special Christmas.
To help a family you can call the charities named in the list which is published in the Daily News and online.
For more information call 4660 1355.
Originally published as A helping hand on a local level
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