More than 90 children and young people from newborns to 18-year olds will spend this Christmas in foster care through Veritas House.
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The Central West agency will work with close to that number again in supported housing or independent living programs throughout the festive season.
Orange families and businesses are being called on to help make December special by purchasing a gift for one of these special people.
Christmas wishes for more than 170 boys and girls have been placed on Christmas trees at Veritas House offices in Orange and Bathurst.
The team are encouraging people to pick up a wish and return the suggested gift before the second week of December.
Veritas House CEO Jody Pearce said with the drought, bushfires and many other worthy charities appealing for assistance at the moment, it may be tough to provide a gift to every one.
"The number of kids Veritas is supporting to either move from the out-of-home care system and into independent living, or who are living with foster carers is currently at its highest level for our agency," she said.
"Added to that, the Christmas period is also one of our busiest at our youth refuges in Orange and Bathurst."
Ms Pearce said during last years Christmas drive a number of parents bought their children in to select a tag and purchase a gift, so they could learn the importance of giving gifts and not simply receiving.
"We also had a number of businesses in the region replace their office Kris Kringle with buying gifts for our clients, which was a huge contribution towards filling our tree."
Veritas will host its Christmas party on December 7.
The team is asking donors to drop off gifts ahead of the date, so each child has something to unwrap.
Ms Pearce said the young people have entered into care for a myriad of reasons.
"But generally they have experienced a degree of trauma, neglect and abuse that required intervention and removal for their own safety and well-being," she said.
"Veritas House Foster Carers in Bathurst and Orange provide a secure, safe and supportive home environment to these children and young people, but there is no doubt that Christmas can still be a tough time."
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