6 ORGANIZATIONS FOR GIVING BACK THIS CHRISTMAS
Food Banks of Canada OR your city's local Food Bank
They are taking both monetary or item donations, below are their most needed items for donating. Please remember when donating hygiene products that many women across Canada do not have the means for simple period products, and those products are something desperately needed.
Image from Food Banks of Canada website
The Shoebox Project
The Shoebox Project collects and distributes gift-filled Shoeboxes to women impacted by homelessness across Canada. Each Shoebox is filled with items valued at a total of $50 that can enhance self-esteem and reduce feelings of isolation. If you are doing a Shoebox you also get to decorate/wrap that shoebox. This year because of COVID the Shoeboxes are going virtual. What does this mean? You’re contribution is monetary versus items like in past years.
Image from The Shoebox Project website.
Salvation Army - Sponsor a Family
Through their Christmas Assistance program, The Salvation Army provides a food hamper for a family and new toys for the children of that family. They say $250 covers the entirety of one family, but realistically we know that isn’t the truth these days. $250 is the starting donation, but if you are able or can get a few friends or family members to join in, more money is better. The Salvation Army also participates in CTV’s Toy Mountain event. Donations or unwrapped toys are welcome and the website has a list of drop off locations for the unwrapped toys.
Unlike The Salvation Army’s family sponsorship, Holiday Helpers sponsorship is for a specific family and you get a specific Christmas wish list for each family member. As well as gifting as much of the personalized wish lists as you can, each sponsored family receives an artificial tree, decorations and gift card to a warm meal. Their budget is a bit higher, with a start of $200 per family member plus at least a $100 food gift card. Again, this could be good for a group of friends or family to participate in together. If the sponsorship of a family is too much, you can choose to donate for specific items, like a warm blanket, winter coat etc. If shopping for gifts is too stressful at this time of year, you can instead donate to support specific family sizes.
Family Sponsorship Information
Monetary Sponsorship Information
Red Door Family Shelter
Providing women and kids of abusive situations with safe places to stay, legal counselling/services and eventually affordable housing. They also provide family’s, not facing abusive situations, but facing homelessness with the same services. Donations are monetary.
They also have gifts/donations to empower women in these scenarios.
CP24 Chum Christmas Wish List
Is a Toy Drive initiative so kids have gifts to open from Santa on Christmas morning. You can also make monetary donations.