CHARLA HUBER
Christmas hampers fill a need in our city at this time of year.
Afew years ago, a friend called and asked me to write him an ad he could post online asking for help at Christmas. He was a fulltime single father to his two children and he was broke.
I drafted up a little write-up and emailed it to him. Not long after he posted it, a nice couple replied and soon they were at his home with a Christmas tree, decorations and gifts for his children. I was happy that I had contributed to this in my own little way.
About a week later, I went to his home and he told me about four Christmas hampers he had collected from his children’s school and various charities around town. Some hampers he signed up for and others he was flagged as someone in need.
I was angry and told him that collecting hampers like that could be taking away from other families who need help. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on this, but we both agreed the generosity of people was astounding.
People all over Greater Victoria have been contributing to many fundraisers to help people in need in our region. Donations to local food banks, charities or news organizations such as the Times Colonist Christmas Fund make a big difference in a lot of lives.
The Christmas Giving Network of Greater Victoria works with organizations by creating a database of singles and families served. This ensures that everyone who needs one receives a hamper. It also creates a system that cuts down on families collecting multiple hampers.
There are far more people who are dependent on receiving a hamper than there are people looking to cash in.
With the rent rates and cost of living constantly increasing, thousands of people in our city have a hard time making ends meet at the best of times, let alone at Christmas.
I grew up in a humble home, and when I was in kindergarten, the toy of the year was the talking Teddy Ruxpin bear, with a cassette tape player in his back. I asked for this toy for Christmas and I wanted it more than anything. At the time, I was being raised by a single mom who was living off student loans while going to university. For me, a Teddy Ruxpin was not in the cards.
Over lunch recently with Goldstream Food Bank president Gayle Ireland, we chatted about Christmas hampers and the growing need for donations.
Ireland explained to me: “Young children don’t know their family struggles financially. They ask for the toys that their friends do. They don’t know how much they cost.”
This thought brought me back to my Teddy Ruxpin wishes; it’s true I didn’t know how much it cost. This year, children are asking for Hatchimals, a toy with an $80 price tag. We can’t judge kids for what they ask for.
Each year, the Goldstream Food bank gives out 650 hampers.
“The need is true and valid,” said Ireland. “People are being pushed to the limit. It’s Christmas time, and how do people explain to their kids that Santa may not come?”
Families receiving hampers from the Goldstream Food Bank receive Santa presents for children 11 and under. Children 12 and over receive gift cards, and every hamper includes a gift card for a turkey.
The Goldstream Food Bank and many other agencies check in with the Christmas Giving Network and require proof of address and identification for all family members.
Even with all this work, Ireland explained there are bound to be people who find a loophole.
“It’s going to happen sometimes, but you just need to stay the course and know that 32 per cent of the people we are helping are children.”
Last year, Ireland was working with volunteers to make last-minute hampers on Christmas Eve.
“We cleared the bread shelves at Walmart and got more gift cards,” she said.
The lesson here is that most people who request hampers really need them.
Even if there are a few people who might take advantage, we can’t let it take away from the spirit of generosity in our city.