🎄 Maitland Reverse Advent Calendar 🎄

We had a lot of feedback in 2024 from participants who wanted to get started before the silly season began. In response to that, we are kicking things off much earlier in 2025, and running two rounds.

Round 1 will kick off on Sunday the 14th September. You'll be able to collect your box from your pick up point from this date, and will need to return it there by Sunday the 12th of October (the last day of the October school holidays).

Round 2 will kick off on Monday the 20th October. You'll need to return your box by Monday the 1st of December. Your good deed for the season should be completed before the mad rush of concerts and assemblies and Christmas parties begins!

This year we have two coordinators running the Maitland drive. Woohoo!

The collection points east of the Maitland CBD will be managed by Michelle Harvey, and the collection points west of the Maitland CBD will be managed by Daisy Farmer. A huuuuuge thank you to Daisy and her family for coming on board this year.

Yes, absolutely! Just register once with yourself as the nominated person so we don't email everyone. You'll be the person responsible for picking up all the boxes for your group and dropping them back.

We have created a list of 20 pantry staples with the approval of MRCS. We ask that you stick to this list, so that we can ensure all recipients receive a consistent minimum amount of support, and so that boxes are not too heavy to transport. All items must be well within their use by dates. You are welcome to add any extra light weight, non perishable food items that you choose on top of the items from the list. Maybe some yummy Christmas treats!

If you wish to donate non-food items such as pet food, nappies, formula and toys, we ask that you donate these directly to Maitland Region Community Support. MRCS has a partnership with Share the Dignity, and can supply toiletries and menstrual products when required, which is why we are prioritising food.

Here is the list:

In previous years we have secured enough in monetary donations from generous individuals and businesses to cover the cost of ordering the boxes... we hope to do the same in 2025.

Boxes cost $3.15 each, inclusive of postage, and we want to order 500. We also have costs for packing tape, labels, website hosting and brochure/poster printing. Our estimated costs should come to $2000-$2500.

We are looking for local businesses or private donors who can support the purchase of some or all of these boxes. We would be glad for any monetary donation and can provide receipts to show how that money is used to purchase these resources. Alternatively, we are happy for the ordering to be done directly by your business.

In return, we will shout from the rooftops about your support within the Facebook group, email list and website. We are happy to list your business name and logo on our website. We have also been previously featured on ABC Radio and in the Maitland Mercury.

If you think you can help, please email [email protected]

We have completed a shop at the two major supermarkets using the list in June 2025. We used a mix of branded and home brand items and didn't add any extras. Our boxes came to $51 and $52. This price will vary according to the brands you buy, any weekly specials that might apply and any extras you add, but is a good minimum cost guide.

Not at all! This is how the idea started, and if it works for your family, then that's fantastic. It can be a great daily reminder of the importance of giving and kindness. If you'd rather take the kids shopping and have them follow the list and select the items in one go, do that! If you're really flat-chat, you can opt to do an online shop and click and collect or have it delivered to your door, put it all in the box and drop it back the next day. We love your efficiency!

PLEASE tape up the bottom of your box with some strong tape. Noone enjoys a jar of pasta sauce landing on their big toe. DO NOT seal the top of your box. Every box will be checked by your coordinator to ensure consistency and to evenly distribute any extra goodies as they come in.

We have pick up points spread across the Maitland LGA: homes and businesses of participants from East Maitland, Chisholm, Thornton, Lorn, Aberglasslyn, Rutherford. We're seeking a pickup point in Lochinvar and the Maitland CBD. You can nominate your preferred point when you register for a box.

Your box will be at the front door of these houses or inside the business, along with a list of names of registered box-fillers. When you collect your box, just tick off your name, collect your shopping list and get cracking. You can return your box to the same place you collected it from.

It costs us money to buy the boxes themselves, to buy a website domain, to print lists and brochures and posters, to buy labels and packing tape, to drive our cars around town distributing and collecting boxes and to purchase items missing from returned boxes. Around $2000-2500 all up. We are not a business or registered charity - we are just locals who want to help locals in a practical and meaningful way.

In 2024 we covered many of these costs with generous donations from a number of individuals, along with donations and services-provided by some wonderful local businesses.

A big mention in particular goes to:

- River Realty Maitland, who gave a $500 donation, completed many boxes and acted as a collection point
- Lawler Auto Electrics Rutherford, who filled two boxes and paid for the removalists who transported our final 200 boxes to MRCS
- Mane Concept Hair, Lorn, who filled boxes and acted as a collection point
- Sew What Upholstery, who filled a box and provided their van and muscles to deliver 100 boxes to MRCS
- Allegra Pilates, who as a staff filled many boxes, recruited loads of participants and acted as a collection point).

We doubled the size of our drive last year, and we truly couldn't have grown so quickly in numbers without their help.

Volunteers drove their own vehicles and paid for their own fuel and expenses during the collection drive. They were not compensated in any monetary way for their volunteer hours. I think I gave the Sew What Upholstery guys a few cans of soft drink because it was really hot that day... and I bought my dad a Bahn Mi after he helped with a delivery... that's it! Just local businesses owned by local people wanting to support a good local cause. Please support them back!

If you'd like to support us this year, get in contact at [email protected]

Yes! If this is something you're personally familiar with, feel free to clearly mark this on your box. Take a little more liberty with the shopping lists according to that dietary need.

I'm glad they have you in their corner. You can put them in touch with Maitland Region Community Support: Contact us | Maitland Region Community Support

We always need help with collecting boxes from collection points and returning them to the coordinators, checking and stacking boxes etc. You need to be able to lift a cardboard box with 20 or more items in it. We would also love it if you could spread the word and get your friends and family involved. Please share our website far and wide!

We're busy mums with day jobs and other volunteering responsibilities. Running this drive takes a lot of time. We're trying to automate processes that we've previously done manually and which took many, many hours. One of those things is collecting names and emails from Facebook groups and sign up sheets, asking for collection point preferences, managing emails and updates etc. We only want to know your full name (so we can label your box. The label is removed when we deliver the filled boxes to MRCS), the round you'll participate in, the collection point you'd like and your email address. We will use your email address to contact you with updates for the drive and a final email when the drive concludes with our end tally. It will be stored on an unencrypted excel spreadsheet.

No problem. Please email us at [email protected] or join the Facebook group.