Charities adapt practices to maintain holiday traditions

Charities in Regina are finding ways to navigate the pandemic so they can still offer services to clients over the Christmas season, a crucial time for many of the organizations.

Every holiday season, the Regina Food Bank distributes hampers of food filled with everything a family would need for a turkey dinner. This year, the food bank is only doing registrations for the hampers online or over the phone.

The Food Bank will distribute food hampers via delivery and contactless drive-thru service. Normally, volunteers would pack into the food bank's building to put the hampers together, but that work will be done off-site this year.

John Bailey, CEO of the Food Bank, said the hampers will be put together at Evraz Place. This will allow staff to be more spaced out and cohorted into separate groups so they are coming into contact with as few people as possible. It's also to support contact tracing efforts if a positive case of COVID-19 did happen.

Bailey said the food bank's target is to distribute approximately 2,600 hampers for the Christmas season. Bailey said the food in one hamper would be valued between $150 and $160 at retail, which the food bank is able to acquire for $75. He said the best way people can assist the food bank is to donate money.

Bailey said that while demand for regular food hampers was rising, it's currently levelled off.

“It's a busier year than normal from a hamper perspective, but it's not as busy as we maybe anticipated based on a number of people who are getting the normal food hampers,” said Bailey.

Souls Harbour Rescue Mission normally offers residents a Christmas sit-down meal, but this year that will be done takeout style, according to executive director Joseph Miller. While the organization would normally be calling for more volunteers over the holidays, Miller said the charity is only working with a half dozen staff who they know have small social circles.

Souls Harbour also runs a meal sponsorship program that runs from December and January, which Miller said has seen a lot of support.

He said December is already two-thirds full.

As for demand on Souls Harbour, Miller said it's been fluctuating during the pandemic. Since the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) ended, the need has increased.

“When CERB was at its peak, our needs were extremely low. The lowest we've probably seen in five to seven years,” said Miller.

Donations to Souls Harbour can be made online or by calling 306543-0011.

The Salvation Army said it won't have as many Christmas kettle stations out because some locations aren't allowing them due to COVID-19 concerns. There's also fewer volunteers to run the kettles this year.

Mike Hoeft, area commander for the Salvation Army in Saskatchewan, said most of the volunteers who run the kettles are seniors, who are in the high-risk category for COVID-19.

“We have hand sanitizer at all the kettles. We wash them down on a regular basis, all of that. So that's different. And really we are trying to encourage people to go to our online donation options, fillthekettle.com or salvationarmy. ca and make a donation online,” said Hoeft.

Hoeft said the Salvation Army in Regina will still be providing Christmas hampers, which it purchases from the food bank. The organization also offers toys with hampers for those with children.

Normally at this time of year Carmichael Outreach would be holding its Christmas for Community fundraiser, but development co-ordinator Nick Faye said the in-person event just wasn't possible given the pandemic.

The organization also usually holds a holiday party event with games and an appearance by Santa Claus. Faye said discussions are happening to see if a COVID-SAFE event can take place. The organization also typically offers a Christmas meal, which will be distributed via takeout.

Carmichael Outreach is encouraging those who wish to donate to do so online at carmichaeloutreach.ca/donate.