MEDIA RELEASE

17 January 2012

An iPod Nano, wok, body lotions and piles of toys are just some of the hundreds of unwanted Christmas gifts people have dropped off at Harbour Town Shopping Centres around the country as Australia’s first Christmas Gift Amnesty – benefiting the St Vincent de Paul Society – enters its final week.

Launched on Boxing Day, generous Australians have donated goods totalling tens of thousands of dollars at Harbour Town centres located in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and on the Gold Coast. The Amnesty was created in response to the more than $750 million in unwanted Christmas gifts that were either sold, exchanged or regifted last year.

“The simplest way to solve the dilemma of what to do with unwanted Christmas gifts is to bring them in to a Harbour Town shopping centre where they will be donated to St Vincent de Paul Society and put to good use,” Rebecca Young from St Vincent de Paul says.

“We are thrilled with the amount of goods that have been received so far, and people have until Sunday 22 January to free up their cupboard and donate that gift they don’t really need.”

Goods collected by St Vincent de Paul will either be given to people directly or sold through their stores to raise funds for valuable programs in area such as Homelessness, Mental Health and Youth. All appropriate items, excluding electrical items and used goods, will be accepted.

St Vincent de Paul Society volunteers helped approximately 520,000 people this Christmas and the Society spent $17.3 million helping people those in need over the festive season.

The St Vincent de Paul Society helps many thousands of people through Home Visits, Migrant and Refugee Assistance, Vinnies Centres, Accommodation for the Homeless, Overseas Partnership Development, School and Youth Programs, Soup Vans, Social Justice Advocacy and Mental Health Programs.

Harbour Town National Marketing and Tourism Manager Angela Gore said Harbour Town was delighted to help the St Vincent de Paul Society carry out its important work.

“January is the perfect opportunity to drop off that Christmas gift to Harbour Town that didn’t quite hit the mark. The gift may not be to your taste or fit properly but will be greatly appreciated by St Vincent de Paul Society,” Ms Gore said.

Unwanted Christmas gifts can be dropped off at designated Christmas Gift Amnesty collection areas located inside Harbour Town VIP lounges in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and on the Gold Coast until Sunday 22 January. Visit www.harbourtown.com.au for locations and more information.

For those looking to donate second-hand items, the nearest Vinnies drop off point can be found at www.vinnies.org.au.