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Local Sydney hero Kirsty Parkes was left heartbroken when she found out thieves had stolen the new toys that volunteers had bought struggling families for Christmas.

“We need your help,” a devastated Kirsty appealed on Facebook after her Community Cafe Outreach Service was ransacked, breaking down in tears as she revealed brand new toys worth $5000 were stolen in the raid.

“The families we serve here are the most poverty stricken in Australia. These kids don’t know what it’s like to open something brand new and be given something of significance. It’s kind of hard to take at this time of the year.”

The plight of the children and families from Kirsty’s beloved Liverpool area in Western Sydney touched many, including Angela Cerasani from BIG W who enlisted the help of the team at Woolworths Group.
“Watching Kirsty’s heartbreaking video really did tug at my heartstrings,” says Angela, who is BIG W’s product quality support specialist and has an eight-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son of her own.
She immediately swung into action and asked each commercial team what they could donate, and BIG W was able to donate $3000 worth of new toys and an additional $15,000 worth of clothes and homewares.
“It’s all about supporting the local community. It absolutely made me feel good and made me think this is what life is all about,helping one another and showing gratitude and kindness.

“It’s so rewarding to be a part of it, and to be able to give back and show what good looks like in terms of what community is.”

Brad Glasspole, Store Manager

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