The Mission Group Providers Society’s program expanded to incorporate the homeless and people with a really low revenue, together with seniors.
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Debbie Daoust began the Mission Group Providers Society’s Secret Santa for Seniors’ program in 2017.
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“I used to be working at Mission Group Providers Society because the United Method Higher at Residence coordinator,” she writes in an e-mail. “Seniors have been expressing their considerations as regards to Christmas and why they weren’t included together with the youngsters at Christmas. There are quite a lot of seniors who stay alone and would not have household round them at Christmas time.”
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Within the first yr, she included seniors at Mission Memorial Hospital and in condo complexes in this system.
“Every individual obtained a present and a meals hamper. When delivering the items and meals the primary yr, there have been tears, laughter and an entire lot of hugs from the entire seniors, particularly for those having to spend time within the hospital at Christmas.”
On behalf of this system, Daoust began amassing donations and placing them in a spare workplace.
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“We packaged up the items within the boardroom on the weekends. After a few years, I ran out of area so we began having the donations delivered to the Christmas bureau location,” she writes.
The Mission Group Providers Society has been working this system out of that location ever since.
“The primary yr I believe was simply over 150 items,” she writes.
This system expanded to incorporate the homeless and people with a really low revenue, together with seniors. Over time this system grew to over 350 items handed out.
However this yr, donations to this system have been low, Tracy McCarthy says.
“We simply haven’t had as many donations this yr as we usually do for the seniors,” mentioned the Mission Group Providers Society Housing & Outreach supervisor. “It’s particular issues, like slippers, nightgowns, housecoats, hygiene merchandise. And if we all know that they like knitting or cross-stitching, relying on whether or not we get these provides, we’ll embrace these as effectively.”
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Every year, teams just like the Mission Group Providers Society obtain donations from readers of The Province by means of the Empty Stocking Fund. Cash collected by way of the ESF goes to 26 Christmas bureaus and group companies within the Decrease Mainland. To donate, please full and ship within the hooked up kind.
The Mission Group Providers Society additionally supplies Christmas hampers to households in want.
“We’re serving over 400 hampers to single households and households this yr,” McCarthy mentioned.
The baskets embrace fixings for a turkey dinner and a grocery present card.
The Mission Group Providers Society additionally palms out toys obtained by way of numerous drives. A workers of about 39 volunteers hand-out the baskets and toys to individuals who register. For the Secret Santa for Seniors’ program, the items are delivered.
“Lots of people robotically assume that Christmas is for the little ones, which it’s,” McCarthy mentioned. “However we even have seniors who’re alone and don’t have household left, and so they deserve one thing as effectively.”
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