‘Biggest year ever’: cheer board meets demand

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/12/2022 (996 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Getting back to normal never felt so good.

The Christmas Cheer Board is back to packing hampers after two years of handing out gift cards and food vouchers, owing to the pandemic.

More than 300 volunteers are working to send out 17,000 care packages by Christmas Day.

The cost of living has skyrocketed and more families need support this year. The city’s population has also increased this year, with Ukrainian refugees and other immigrants putting down roots, creating a need for 3,000 more hampers than normal.

While volunteers have been in high spirits and eager to help, they are stretched thin leading up to Christmas.

“This is our biggest year ever,” said Pat McBeth, who is in her seventh year as the feed-a-family co-ordinator. “I don’t think we’re super surprised, but it’s still overwhelming.”

In 2021, nearly 1,700 sponsors helped 2,500 families. This year, 1,950 groups have sponsored more than 3,000 families. They make and deliver the hampers themselves.

“I really appreciate all the volunteers… and I really appreciate all that these sponsors have done for us this year. They’re Winnipeggers — businesses, organizations or just families wanting to help out.”

The board was in need of delivery drivers. So it put out a public plea for help last weekend.

People responded.

“This morning, the response from Winnipeggers to come out and deliver hampers was absolutely amazing,” McBeth said Tuesday. We couldn’t keep up with them.”

“It’s really amazing to me,” said Debra Halligan, in her third year as volunteer co-ordinator. “We’re in crunch time right now and when we did put out a desperate plea for help, I’ve been noticing volunteers that are from other teams, saying, ‘Where do you need me? What can I do?’”

“It just makes me want to cry.”

Donations co-ordinator Susan Gill says people have been generous.

“It’s picking up,” said Gill, in her 20th season with the board. “I think this could be one of our higher years, which we really need this year because we’re gonna be doing a record number of hampers. So Winnipeggers are amazing.”

Gill could not specify how much the board has received in money, food or toys this year, but confirmed the non-profit is “on track” to cover all of its expenses.

“We need help and people are doing it. They are stepping forward which is absolutely amazing,” she said.

While the intensity has picked up, their lofty mission has kept everyone firing on all cylinders.

“We don’t want anyone to go without a hamper,” Halligan said. “It’s just amazing how I don’t know half of these people the rest of the year and we all come together and we just do what needs doing.”

“Everybody just seems to be so willing to help out wherever they’re needed,” McBeth added.

Volunteers will deliver hampers until this afternoon. Then the cheer board will be closed until Dec. 27. If a family wasn’t able to pick up their hamper before Christmas Day, they are able to pick them up at that time.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca