The Community Hamper Association is expecting to have another busy season in its quest to meet the needs of hundreds of people this Christmas season.
The association started accepting applications and referrals on Nov. 1, and they have already received more than 70 requests.
Char Seeman, who is the co-chair of the association with Heather Woodhouse, said she isn’t surprised by the demand so far this year.
“I think the numbers are going to be fairly high this year,” said Seeman.
Last year the association filled 312 hampers, and she expects they will surpass that figure this year.
The association is encouraging anyone who thinks they will need a hamper to apply.
“Any little bit that we can do to make Christmas easier for anyone – if you’re back to work part-time, if you’re back to work three-quarters time or even back to work full-time – and you’re still trying to catch up on bills, and doing those kind of things, that’s what we’re here for, we’re here to help you have a Christmas, and for your kids to have presents and toys and stuff at Christmas, and that’s what we want to get.”
A lot of people have been able to return to work after they were laid off at the start of the pandemic, but they don’t have extra money, and so the thought that these people might not have a Christmas dinner, or gifts under the tree, is sad to the hamper association members.
“We know you can make it 11 months out of the year, but come Christmas time, you get one thing extra thrown at you, and you can’t do it. That’s what we want to get across to people, is this is what we’re here for,” said Seeman.
Traditionally many groups and individuals fill hampers for the hamper association, but that won’t happen this year due to regulations from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Nor will the association be able to deliver hampers this year.
Many of the association’s supporters have committed to provide financial support, but it means that the hamper association is in need of more financial donations to ensure they have the money to fill all the hampers requested.
Seeman noted people will have to book appointments this year for when they can pick up their hampers.
Also, anyone who wants a hamper needs to have their request in by Dec. 5. This is a hard deadline this year.
“We cannot physically take hampers to people’s houses this year. They have to be picked up. So it’s logistics and everything; we had to have a firm, hard deadline for it,” said Seeman.
Also, the hamper association can’t use food that’s donated to them in the hampers, so all food donations needs to go to the Salvation Army’s Food Bank.
The hamper association is also responsible for the Angel Tree program, which provides a toy to hamper recipients with a child or children. Nearly 500 toys were distributed last year.
The Angel Trees will be set up at Walmart, Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual and Your Toy Store and More. People can pluck an angel from the tree – pink for girls and blue for boys. It will have an age range inscribed to indicate who to shop for.
Supporters go out, purchase a gift and return it to the angel tree.
Seeman said they are looking for volunteers for the Angel Tree for this year, and she cautioned people that someone might not be at the Angel Tree at Walmart at all times.
Mr. Mike’s will provide a gift card to anyone who brings a toy to their location, while Your Toy Store and More offers discounts to those who purchase toys at the store for the Angel Tree.
Seeman hopes they will be able to have toy drives in the city this year, as has happened in the past. Canadian Tire has said they will be happy to have one.
All of the toys that are collected this year will be stored, and then they will be set out in a toy store, so that parents can drop by and select a toy for their child.
People can also drop off cash donations, which will be used to purchase gifts. And they can bring cash donations for the hamper association to the Angel Tree.
The association will also have firm appointment times for when people can drop by to select toy(s) for the Angel Tree.
Donation boxes set up at the Days Inn, Blackbeard’s Family Restaurant and the Ice Factory to support the Angel Tree.
It’s already been a busy year for the hamper association. Earlier this year, they partnered with the United Way Estevan, after the United Way received a $50,000 grant from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation to provide food to local families during the pandemic.
The United Way then approached the association and the Salvation Army to determine the families most in need of assistance.
“We gave 100 families $100 worth of groceries every second week for 10 weeks. So we gave 100 families $500 worth of groceries. That was super exciting and that helped,” said Seeman.
