Christmas Hamper program going on again this year
expired - This is all food donated to the Christmas Hamper Program that is past its expiry date, and had to be thrown in the garbage. The program cannot distribute expired food when hampers are distributed in December. Organizers are asking anyone who donates to please check the best-before date before donating the items. Photo by Rob Vogt
By Rob Vogt
The Christmas Hamper program is on again this year to help those in need to have a nice Christmas dinner.
Roxanne Thompson, retired publisher of the Claresholm Local Press who is organizing the Christmas hampers, said the program has been running at least as far back as 1984 when Paul Rockley was publisher of the newspaper.
She suspects with the economic situation, there will be a greater demand.
“We are expecting more need this year,” Thompson said. “With the high cost of groceries a dollar just doesn’t go as far.”
Applications for Christmas hampers are being accepted at Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services until today, Dec. 11.
No late applications will be accepted, because numbers are needed to order the appropriate amount of food, assemble the hampers, and deliver them.
Each applicant receives a complete Christmas dinner including a turkey or ham, depending on application request; fresh potatoes and carrots; stuffing mix; gravy mix; buns; a box of chocolates; cranberries; a box of crackers; oranges; canned vegetables; pickles; and an IGA gift card for other fresh items.
The program is accepting donations of dried goods until Friday, Dec. 13. After that cash donations, or $25 IGA gift cards are welcome.
Suggested donations for hampers include cash; a $25 IGA gift card for perishable items; canned vegetables; stuffing mix; pickles/olives; turkey gravy mix; jello/pudding; Christmas nuts, candy or chocolates; canned fruit; canned cranberries; and a variety of crackers.
Cash donations are used to purchase turkeys, hams, potatoes, carrots, and buns.
Thompson said all food donated will be distributed among the hampers.
She also asks anyone donating food, especially if it has been in their household awhile, to ensure the food is not past its expiry date.
Last year, 152 hampers were distributed.
All hampers will be delivered. The delivery date is the morning of Friday, Dec. 20 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Thompson is also looking for volunteers to deliver hampers. This is done in pairs. Using an SUV or mini-van is ideal for deliveries, but a truck will work well too. Anyone interested in volunteering to be a driver can contact Roxanne Thompson at 403-625-1105.
For more information, or to donate, please contact the Claresholm Local Press at 403-625-4474 or Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services at 403-625-4417.