Less people requested help this year from the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society than in previous years.
This year 397 families in the community asked for help, including 847 children.
However, this is 21 families less than in 2024.
“There’s a growing number of community groups that assist families at Christmas time including the Salvation Army, many churches, and SD42 schools and I feel that this probably accounts for the lower number of applications received,” said Tina Kirkpatrick, former chair of the Christmas Hamper Society, who is still on the board of directors.
Founded in the late 1960’svery year the Christmas Hamper Society provides a Christmas dinner and gifts to struggling families for the holidays. People who need help are asked to register online and they need to be approved.
Families are then given a gift card for Christmas dinner and they can select toys at the Toy Barn for their children. There is also Rudolph’s Recycle Gift Shoppe, which is a barn full of gently used items like clothing, small household goods, decorations, and more, that people can also take from.
For those who just want a hamper, there is the Good Neighbour program where a mixture of private individuals and corporate sponsors provide a holiday care package to a family in need in the community.
Kirkpatrick noted there were 84 Good Neighbours this year.
The community also opened their wallets for the Christmas Hamper Society this season, donating money and toys.
Firefighters in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows held Firefighters for Families, a one day event where they collected donations from the community, raising a total of $13,372 from residents of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and collecting 75 toys.
This fundraiser is one of the largest for the Christmas Hamper, said Kirkpatrick, noting that it also raises awareness about the society and the Friends In Need Food Bank.
Christmas Hamper Society also received donations from the West Coast Express Santa Train, back this year for its 30th anniversary.
Two trains, a week apart, travel downtown Vancouver, and with the donation of a new toy, riders are allowed the trip for free.
This brought in another 591 toys and $952 cash donations, said Kirkpatrick.
Coins for Kids, another fundraiser undertaken by students at schools in SD42, has so far raised $2,000.80, with only five schools contributing to date.
Kirkpatrick expects the total to rise in the New Year, when school is back in session and more students submit their fundraising amounts.