Dubbo primary school students have been hard at work to help members of the community experiencing homelessness.
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Year 6 students from St Laurence's Catholic Primary School in Dubbo donated toys and food items to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal.
The whole school also donated items for the home including towels and cutlery sets to help people rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness or domestic violence.
The students did this by performing chores around their houses, and their hard work and the support of their parents made it all possible.
The pupils handed their donations to St Vincent de Paul regional president Ian Wray during a ceremony at the school on Friday, November 24.
![Kim Colbourne and Ian Wray from Vinnies, with Fletcher Horsburgh, Xavier Brown, Aidan Doherty and Rusty Simmonds from St Laurence's Catholic Primary School. Picture by Amy Mcintyre Kim Colbourne and Ian Wray from Vinnies, with Fletcher Horsburgh, Xavier Brown, Aidan Doherty and Rusty Simmonds from St Laurence's Catholic Primary School. Picture by Amy Mcintyre](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/QQwHRnUv9qYdvjDNLdqaup/01da3e3f-5c3c-43c5-9ce7-e127c3d5a562.JPG/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Wray said he was tremendously grateful to St Laurence's and all the Catholic schools around Dubbo that donate to Vinnies.
"St Laurence's is a wonderful little school ... they've been such a supportive school," he told the Daily Liberal.
Mr Wray said the cost-of living crisis in Dubbo is dire and he was "most concerned" with the situation.
"There is an awful lot of people out there doing it tough, you wouldn't believe it," he said.
"We are going through $1000 a fortnight in food. There are people not making ends meet, and by they time the get through their expenses, they're doing it tough."
![Ian Wray and Kim Colbourne from Vinnies, with Aidan Doherty and Xavier Brown of St Laurence's Catholic Primary School. Picture by Amy McIntyre Ian Wray and Kim Colbourne from Vinnies, with Aidan Doherty and Xavier Brown of St Laurence's Catholic Primary School. Picture by Amy McIntyre](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/QQwHRnUv9qYdvjDNLdqaup/c876a1bd-c86d-475d-8374-d38adc9cf092.JPG/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He said the donations from St Laurence's would be used to make Christmas hampers for Dubbo families, allowing them to have "a decent Christmas lunch".
Because of the higher cost of groceries, the charity had been able to afford only 240 hampers this year, instead of their usual 300, but the school donations mean they will be able to hit their goal after all.
This isn't the first time St Laurence's has donated to the charity.
The school's Year 1 and 2 students donated kettles and toasters, and Years 3 and 4 donated personal hygiene packs, during the year.
The school's religious education coordinator, Alicia O'Connor, said the undertaking taught the children "to think of other people".
"It's really good for them to learn about other people in need, and our theme for this year at St Laurence's is compassion, and understanding of other people," Ms O'Connor told the Daily Liberal.
She continued: "They learnt about sacrificing, and putting others before themselves."
Many other Dubbo schools have been generous to St Vincent de Paul throughout the year.
Vinnies schools and youth engagement coordinator, Kim Colbourne, said: "There is a growing need for help in the Dubbo community, and it is so encouraging to have some of the youngest members of the community work hard to help others."