Christmas hamper organizers are now collecting donations and putting together food to give to families in need this holiday season and they’re looking for help.
“Every year we wonder if we’re going to get enough funds to get us through,” said Sandra Carmen, president of Powell River and District Christmas Cheer Committee. “We’re always chewing our nails that enough money will come it.”
Last year the committee spent about $20,000 to purchase food for Christmas hampers. Carmen said volunteers start shopping early in the year to take advantage of sales and the savings have been significant. She estimates the committee saved about $8,000 by buying early.
The hampers go to families, couples or single adults who are living on social services or disability and need help to make ends meet. Hampers contain food for the families and toys for the kids, all either purchased by the committee or received by donation.
Committee members use the donations to purchase bulk grocery items to put in the hampers. There are different sized hampers depending on the size of family they go to, but all contain basic non-perishable food items such as peanut butter, canned fruit and vegetables, pasta, rice, coffee, tea, cake mix and many other items. Hampers contain gift cards from grocery stores so that fresh meat and dairy can be purchased.
The committee has been putting together holiday hampers since the late 1940s and in recent years the number of hampers given out has risen. In 2011 the committee put together 328 hampers for families and individuals. This is a slight increase over the previous year of 304. Carmen said that overall hamper distribution from other organizations in the community last year was 592 Christmas hampers. “A rather large number considering the size of the community,” she said.
Some hampers are handed out directly by the committee. Another service the committee organizes is finding families and businesses to sponsor families in need. Sponsors are given a detailed list of what that family could use. Carmen said that often these hampers are better than the basic hamper because they are more customized. “We’re doing hundreds but the sponsors can be a little more specialized.”
Many of the schools in School District 47 do food drives this time of year and often collected items go to the Christmas Cheer Committee for the hampers.
Any donations can be mailed by cheque to Cherrie Hunter at 7318 Glacier Street, Powell River, V8A 5V2. Businesses, organizations and individuals interested in participating in the Adopt-A-Family program can contact Carmen at 604.485.2142 or Lesley Ford at 604.485.6682. Toy donations can be arranged with Marilyn Lewis at 604.485.2621. Toys can also be purchased and donated directly at Walmart and LW, formerly Liquidation World.
Applications to receive hampers are available at Black Point Store, Lang Bay Store, Powell River Town Centre Mall office, Powell River Community Resource Centre and Salvation Army. The deadline for applications is Monday, December 8.
Carmen encourages families who would like to benefit from the Adopt-a-Family program to complete their application as soon as possible.
