Registration is now open for the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society and already there is high demand for this holiday season.
Since Monday, opening day, the society has already received 45 per cent of the total number of registrations last year – after only two days.
The Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society provides the essentials for Christmas for families in need in the community, including a festive dinner with all the fixings, and gifts for all the children aged 17 and younger in each family.
“Honestly I think it is just the climate we are in right now,” said new society chair Sheila Dodgshon. “It’s just a difficult time for people.”
On the first day of registration this year the society received 93 applications. In years past the most they had was 60 applicants on the very first day.
A majority of their clients are single parents.
Volunteers are busy at work getting the toy barn together, where parents can pick up gifts for their children.
Local realtor Justin Henessey, was with a group of 19 realtors who arrived to set up the tables and lattice in the barn. There are 15 other volunteers organizing and putting out the toys.
One of these volunteers, Marty Broughton, with help from his brother Dave, picked up toys from the Christmas Bureau in Vancouver and delivered them to the Maple Ridge facility on Wednesday.
However, Dodgshon can already see that they will need donations for those in their teenage years like comfortable blankets, clothes, soaps and body wash, bath bombs, small gadgets, or room decor.
This year there will be no Kids Only Gift Shop, where the children got to pick out gift items for their parents and visit with Santa, which they have held in previous years.
Last year few families turned out, said Dodgshon, who believes getting to the fairgrounds multiple times is a challenge for a lot of their clients.
“Some of the families don’t drive and so they have to rely on the bus,” she explained.
Registration is open until Tuesday, Dec. 16, online only, for the Christmas Hamper Society.
However, Dodgshon noted, they have been inundated with applications, and due to the time it takes to process each applicant, they are advising registrants that it might take a week to get back to them.
Families who meet the low-income criteria or receive government financial assistance, and who are approved by the Christmas Hamper Society, will receive a grocery gift card towards traditional Christmas Day fare and gifts for children under 17 who are listed on the application form and are in the applicant’s full-time care.
To register go to: https://www.mrpmchristmashamper.org/.