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Christmas Hampers: You Can Help

Assist With Christmas Hampers

There are a number of ways persons/groups can be involved in this project. These are:

• Collect food items for the project
• Bake cookies
• Sponsor a hamper for $75
• Assist with handing out turkeys
• Assist in packaging bulk food items
• Assist in delivering the hampers
• Assist in set up and clean up of warehouse.

Persons wishing to donate food can contact House of Friendship. Food can be delivered to House of Friendship or ask to have it picked up. The following are food items we suggest persons donate:

• Canned beans
• Soup (canned or dried)
• Orange juice/fruit crystals
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Honey
• Peanut Butter
• Macaroni and cheese
• Canned tuna or salmon
• Pasta

These food items are suggested to simplify sorting and packing the hampers. However all donations of non-perishable food items are gratefully accepted. We also accept and distribute homemade cookies. We suggest that the cookies are put in bags (12- 18 per bag).

House of Friendship purchases apples, potatoes, peanuts and popcorn to add to the Christmas Hamper.

We provide a soup lunch for the volunteers. We also need volunteers to make soup for the project. The Charles Street Men's Hostel Kitchen supplies all the ingredients for the soup.

The majority of the work is done during the day (8:30 - 4:30) from Monday to Friday. Persons interested in volunteering or contributing to the project should contact Anthony Bender at 519-742-8327. Monetary donations can be mailed directly to House of Friendship at P.O. Box 1837, Station C, Kitchener ON N2G 4R3.

You can also sponsor a family for $75. Names of families from our programs are checked with the Christmas Bureau to make sure they are not receiving help from another agency.

Assist With Christmas Bureau

Persons wishing to sponsor individuals/families for Christmas Assistance need to contact the Christmas Bureau to fill out a Christmas Bureau Sponsorship Form. In Kitchener Waterloo House of Friendship distributes most of the food hampers and Salvation Army distributes most of the toys. Sponsorship Forms need to be completed in November and the names of persons requesting assistance are available in late November and early December.

Volunteers are also needed in November and December to assist with opening mail and answering the phone. Interested persons can call Tony Bender at House of Friendship at 519-742-8327.

Assist People in Other House of Friendship Programs

Here are additional ways you can assist those in other House of Friendship programs at Christmas:

• Purchase items for participants in our other programs such as the Charles Street Men's Hostel, 174 King Street North (men's addiction treatment program), Alcontrol (women's addiction treatment program), Cramer House (group home for men) and Kiwanis House (transitional residence for male youth). These items are distributed to the men and women living at our residential and addiction services programs during the Christmas season and at other times of the year. Examples of items that can be used are:
  • Clothing items for people of all ages and genders including shirts, coats, socks, underwear, gloves, hats, sweaters;
  • Personal hygiene and toiletry items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, deodorant, disposable razors, etc.;
  • Gift certificates to bowling, movies, Ranger hockey games, Tim Hortons, MacDonald's and other restaurants;
  • Strips of tickets for Grand River Transit buses;
  • Playing cards, board games, journal notebooks;
  • New or gently used children toys, games and books for children, cooking utensils, non-perishable specialty food items (e.g. chocolates, nuts, etc.)

Your financial donations to House of Friendship help us serve 32,500 people living on low-income year round (See You Can Help page).

For further information please call or contact us by email.