The holiday season is just getting started but local high school students and retired School District 43 employees are already making plans to ensure that dozens of Tri-City families have a special time.
In what has become an annual tradition, Riverside secondary students and retired members of CUPE Local 561 participate in the Caring Neighbour program run by Share Family and Community Services, which matches sponsors with families that are struggling to make ends meet.
For Irene Oloman and Marj Staples, the month of December is a busy one because they have to grocery shop, wrap gifts and deliver the packages after spending the last few months collecting donations. Their union, which represents SD43 support workers, also provides funds so they can sponsor two families.
In addition to food to last through January, the hampers provide a gift card and personalized gifts for each member.
“I encourage them to save their toonies. I have the best crowd of people that you’d ever meet,” said Oloman, who has organized the Caring Neighbour hampers for the past 11 years.
It’s a lot of work but delivering the hampers is like Christmas for the two women, who say they feel gratified by the appreciation from those on the receiving end of the retirees’ generosity.
“I love doing this,” said Staples, “It’s what we do.”
Meanwhile, over at Riverside secondary in Port Coquitlam, the annual Caring Neighbour charity drive will produce enough food to support 45 to 55 families and is a tradition going back 20 years, when the school opened.
“The staff has been doing it so long that they all know what to do and everyone is really keen to support the community and help out, and also the staff works really well as a team,” said counsellor Kasey Chittenden, who helps organize the food drive for the school.
Typically, each advisory class in the school collects enough food for one family, with students selecting from a list of items, although for large families, up to two classes might gather the food.
On the last day of school before the winter break, the hampers are packed and delivered by students or teachers.
“It’s important to students and staff to support our community as best we we can and the students enjoy being able to give back," said Chittenden, "and they understand there’s people in our community that could use a little more assistance right now.”
Want to be a Caring Neighbour?
The deadline for sponsorship is this Friday, Dec. 1. For more information about this program, visit sharesociety.ca/caring-neighbours for more details and online registration. You can also contact the Caring Neighbour program assistant at 604-931-2451 or via email at [email protected].
