For Murray Bridge Victims Support Service worker Amy Ambagtsheer, the gift of teddy bears and toys for children and care parcels for women is a welcome sight at her Murray Bridge office.

“We get a lot of community support,” she said.

“Tailem Bend Rotary have provided a lot of trauma teddies for kids and simple things that help people get what they otherwise may not be able to afford.”

Ms Ambagtsheer said domestic violence impacted a community in many ways.

“It impacts on schools and schooling, children, families and employment,” she said.

“Everyone should care about it and everyone should want to stop it.”

Tailem Bend Rotary club president Noel Kneebone said the care box program aimed to provide support to families in crisis.

“Rotary member Liz Connelly started the program which supports adults and kids,” he said.

“It provides toys for kids, shampoos and products for adults and it lets people know they are cared for.

“The toys are about giving kids something to hold on to and talk - there is a bit of research that has gone into this and shows kids will often talk to toys when they feel they can’t talk to adults.”

Mr Kneebone said giving to the Victims Support Service came about through help from the Tailem Bend Community Centre.

“They had a Christmas tree where people could put toys for the care boxes,” he said.

“The boxes are then given to people in crises to put a smile on their faces.”

Rotary member Sue Piggot said the program started about four years after the vision for care boxes was shared by a visiting speaker.

“Liz took that on board,” she said.

“She has had lots of feedback about what is appreciated in the boxes and saw there was a need for something for the children.”