The Salvation Army Peterborough is helping families in need put food on the table and toys under the tree this holiday season through its Christmas Assistance Program.
Between November 20 and December 15, individuals and families can visit the Salvation Army Temple at 219 Simcoe Street by appointment only to receive a grocery store gift card for an amount dependent on their family size. Families will also have access to a toy shop set up in the gymnasium where they can choose toys and stocking stuffers for children and youth under 18.
Appointments can be booked beginning Monday (November 6) by by calling 705-742-4391. When coming to the appointment, families are required to bring identification for each family member, proof of their current address, and verification of income for everyone in the family.
The Salvation Army Peterborough has been facilitating the program for decades during the holiday season, but when they began distributing grocery store gift cards instead of food hampers during the pandemic, the non-profit organization found it to be a more flexible option.
“It allows them to adapt to their family’s needs,” explains JoAnne Leach, the Salvation Army’s Christmas support worker. “There are so many families with different dietary needs, cultures, and allergies.”
To also provide flexibility for gifting, the gym will be set up like a toy shop where people can choose the toys they want to give to their children.
Donations of new, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the Simcoe Street location from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, or at a donation bin that will located outside Lansdowne Place near Old Navy in the coming weeks.
“If people or businesses want to do a toy drive, we urge them to do it as soon as they can — hold them in November or early December — so that we can get the toys on site and have them available,” notes Leach.
She adds that although the Salvation Army usually has a limited supply of toys from the previous year, the toys tend to get scarce after the first few weeks of running the program.
During the 2022 Christmas Assistance Program, 5,593 people were given food support through the grocery store gift cards, including 2,627 children and youth, with 2,483 children and youth received gifts through the toy donations.
Leach suggests this year might be even more dire as the Salvation Army has seen an influx in the number of families supported annually, especially through the breakfast program and food bank.
“These major programs directly impact our community when it comes to those who are in need,” says Leach, acknowledging rising grocery and housing costs as a factor. “There are so many people who struggle to just meet the daily needs of their families and themselves.”
Leach says the organization used to see 30 to 40 people per day using the breakfast program, which runs five days per week, and now gets upwards of 80 to 100 people visiting every morning.
Similarly, for its food bank, the Salvation Army has seen new users increase 74 per cent compared to the same time period last year, often with more than a dozen new families accessing the food bank in a given day. With the organization’s grant money running out in 2022, the Salvation Army has had to cut its food bank budget and, as a result, is now operating the food bank for three days per week instead of four.
“The need is certainly there, but these programs are funded through the donations we get at Christmastime from our mail-out fundraiser and through the Christmas kettles,” Leach points out.
The Salvation Army launched its ‘Hope for All Seasons’ fundraising campaign last week, with a goal of raising $540,000 through the mail-out fundraiser and $110,000 at Christmas kettles across the city.
Other fundraisers during the season will add a bit of fun, including the annual Teddy Bear Toss taking place at the Peterborough Petes game on Thursday, December 7th, when they will face off against the Brantford Bulldogs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Spectators are encouraged to bring new stuffed toys to the game, and when the Petes score their first goal, everyone throws the items on the ice to be collected and added to the toy shop for the Christmas Assistance Program.
“It’s a huge thing and it’s a lot of fun,” says Leach, adding that the Salvation Army band will be in attendance, playing in areas around the arena prior to the game. “We get to see all the teddy bears as they’re coming in, which is really neat to see the support.”
With the Christmas kettles starting in the community on November 16, the Salvation Army is always searching for volunteers, as about 25 to 30 individuals will be needed per day throughout December. Leach suggests groups and businesses can gather to volunteer their time for a day to make it a community effort. Additional volunteers are also needed for the Christmas Assistance Program.
“All of our community and family services provide help to the community, and we can’t do all of that without our volunteers and those who donate,” says Leach. “We have so many faithful donors that we appreciate so greatly but anything people can do to help out the community and make this a real community effort — that’s what we’re hoping and praying for.”
To make an appointment for the Christmas Assistance Program, contact Leach at 705-742-4391. To donate toys or make a financial donation, visit The Salvation Army at 219 Simcoe Street from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
