If anyone can conjure up the spirit of Christmas, it is Helping ACT founder and chair, Mohammed Ali.
For the past four years, he has gathered together volunteers at The Link at Ginninderry to pack food hampers and wrap Christmas presents for vulnerable people in the community who need a little help during the festive season.
On Saturday, Ginninderry again hosted the get-together as the volunteers worked to pack food and wrap presents.
Food was packed into 40 bags for distribution to refugees and asylum seekers by Companion House and another 25 bags were filled with food for Havelock House residents.
There were also 125 bags packed with Christmas fare for homeless people, with the bags given out at the Early Morning Centre Christmas party on Monday.
And 100 toys were wrapped by the volunteers for children across a range of ages, to be distributed by the Smith Family and Red Cross.
"This is characteristic of the ACT - that we are taking along everyone," Mr Ali said.
The Christmas gathering was just another example of Helping ACT's commitment to lend a helping hand and ensure no one goes hungry.
"Helping ACT means Mohammed Ali and that means love, friendship and community," secretary Manar Ahmad said.
Among those helping on Saturday was Minister for Homelessness Rebecca Vassarotti, Minister for Multicultural Affairs Tara Cheyne, Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee and Opposition spokesman on multicultural affairs Peter Cain.
"This has been a really difficult year for many people in our community, whether it be the affordable housing crisis, cost-of-living crisis, the inequality crisis, it all means there's a lot of members of our community who have been doing it very, very tough this year," Ms Vassarotti said.
"I'm so grateful to be part of the family of Helping ACT. Anyone who's met Mohammed knows that he asks you to do things quite a lot.
"It's very hard to say no but actually it's a joy and it's actually a joy to do a little bit of volunteering work with Helping ACT whenever I can."
Ms Cheyne said Saturday's event exemplified the Christmas spirit and that Mr Ali had a gift for rallying volunteers - more than he needed - at a time when everyone was busy.
"Thank you for all you do, you do an amazing job," she said.
Mr Cain said Mr Ali - the 2022 Canberra Citizen of the Year - was one of those people who took action and got things done.
"There's so many people who get a great idea and for some it just stays a great idea," he said.
Mr Ali also thanked Ginninderry for continuing to support Helping ACT.
When Helping ACT raised the idea of getting a food truck, Ginninderry donated a coffee van worth $45,000.
The Canberra community helped to raise $15,000 in donations to modify the van to become a food truck, which will now travel around the ACT, putting on barbecues and not only feed people in need, but give them a chance to socialise as well.
"We are proud of all our Canberrans whenever Helping ACT asks - and Helping ACT asks every week, so don't worry about it - they respond," Mr Ali said.
He also asked the politicians present to think about providing further space for a food bank for Helping ACT and possibly a permanent space where people could gather to have a coffee and talk.
