Gimli’s Evergreen Basic Needs food bank has launched its annual Christmas hamper fundraising drive and is planning for an increase in the number of individuals and families who will need assistance this holiday season.
EBN executive director Karen Bowman said since the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the food bank has been supporting for more and more families struggling to make ends meet.
“Last year we did about 202 Christmas hampers. We always plan for at least a 10 per cent increase so we’re looking at providing 225 hampers this year,” said Bowman. “Prior to the pandemic, we prepared 155-165 Christmas hampers. In 2019 we were at 170 hampers, then we saw an increase to 180, then 190 and then over 200 hampers. Statistically, from the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 to the present, our numbers have increased about 23 per cent.”
There are three major ways the community can support EBN in the lead-up to Christmas: monetary donations that will be used to buy food for its Christmas hamper program, donations of non-perishable food items and donations of new toys.
EBN’s Christmas hampers are funded through donations from the community and are not part of the food the non-profit organization gets monthly from Harvest Manitoba.
“Harvest Manitoba supports us throughout the year. We get a monthly shipment from them for our regular hamper program,” said Bowman. “But the Christmas hamper program we do on our own. Everything we put into a Christmas hamper is purchased new; it’s not from food drives or from Harvest Manitoba. It’s from the donations we receive from the community.”
On a monthly basis, EBN distributes 4,000 kg (10,000 pounds) of food in partnership with Harvest Manitoba to families in need in its catchment area, which includes the Rural Municipality of Gimli, The Town of Winnipeg Beach, the Village of Dunnottar and the Rural Municipality of Armstrong. EBN, which has been operating since 1992, also runs Respun Threads, a store that accepts donations of gently used clothing, housewares and furniture.
To make everyone in its catchment aware that it’s launching the Christmas hamper fundraiser, EBN is mailing out flyers to about 3,500 mailboxes.
In addition to monetary donations that will support the Christmas hamper program, EBN also welcomes donations of new, unwrapped toys.
Starting next week, there will be donation boxes for toys (and for non-perishable food) in various community businesses and organizations such as banks, pharmacies and churches. And local entertainer Adam T. Elvis will be performing at EBN on the evening of Dec. 4 with “admission by toy.”
Parents or caregivers will be welcome to come into EBN in December to pick out toys for their children’s Christmas gift.
“Clients who have children can come and pick what they want for their child’s gift. We’re scheduling a toy-shopping day on Dec. 16,” said Bowman. “If people are donating toys, we would want them by Dec. 14. so that the toys can be displayed in time.”
A number of local organizations and businesses have already contacted EBN with plans to host a “tin for the bin” drive. Non-perishable food items dropped in the collection bins will not be going into the Christmas hampers but will instead be distributed in monthly food hampers in the new year.
“It’s through the support of the community that we’ve been able to maintain this standard of care for the people in our community that need that extra help,” said Bowman. “Any tin for the bin events help carry us through to the new year, from January to March when donations typically drop off.”
People can start registering now (up to Dec. 4) to receive a Christmas hamper by calling EBN. Those who opt to have their hamper delivered must be at home on Dec. 12 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Bowman said EBN has volunteers delivering the hampers, including people who work at the Diageo distillery. Those who wish to pick up their hamper can do so on Dec. 14 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the back door of EBN.
People who are late registering for a hamper will not be turned away, said Bowman, but will receive a hamper the week of Dec. 18 as the food bank has to order the food.
The toy-shopping day for parents who want to choose their child’s present will be held on Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parents are asked to call EBN before that day to set up a shopping appointment.
“We set up all the toys we received and it looks like Santa’s workshop in here. People can come and choose what they want for their child rather than us giving them something,” said Bowman. “That gives people a little more dignity at a time when this may be difficult for them.”
For more information about donating food, toys or money, call Karen Bowman at EBN at (204) 642-9736 ext. 3. She’s available Tuesday to Friday but people can also leave a voice message.
Donations can be made by cash, cheque, credit card or through EBN’s website via a direct payment link to Canada Helps.
Evergreen Basic Needs is located at 71 Fourth Ave. Visit www.evergreenbasicneeds.com
