Our 2011 Christmas Wish
It is the Advent season at Islington United and once again it is time to consider sharing our abundance with people in our community who have fewer resources. Our White Gift program has been going strong for over 30 years and over that time, we have brightened the Christmas season for thousands of individuals. Whether we give out hats and mitts, toiletries, towels, gift cards, or eggs and milk, the spirit of this project gives hope and meets dreams.
This year we will continue our White Gift tradition by sharing your gifts with:
- Clients of the Mabelle Food Program
- 50 youth who will be living in Youth Without Shelter in Etobicoke on Christmas Day
- The many who use our Church’s Emergency Food Pantry
Our Christmas Wish for
the Mabelle Food Program
Our wish this Christmas is to give all our food bank clients a No Frills gift card that they can use to purchase groceries of their own choice during the holiday season. As you are probably aware, the number of families in Toronto who are depending on food banks to feed their families rose by 12 percent in 2011 and that number is expected to be higher in 2012. This greatly affects the amount of food each food bank program receives and the Mabelle Food Program is receiving less food to give out each month. With this in mind, each single household will receive no less than a $25 No Frills card and the amount will increase with the size of the family. Households with children will also receive a gift card of $35 to $70 depending on the size of the family.
Our Christmas Wish for
Youth Without Shelter
Our wish for Youth Without Shelter is to provide individual toiletry bags along with a new bath-size towel for all 50 youth. According to the Shelter director, these toiletry kits are the foundation of their Christmas giving to the residents and they are really grateful to receive them each year. And while a towel may not seem like much of a gift, they love receiving our fluffy, new donations and do not want us to change our giving.
Our Christmas Wish for
Our Year-Round Food Programs
Our wish this Christmas is that we will receive enough cash donations to supplement our food bank program through another calendar year. We use your donations to purchase many items which are in short supply including canned fish, canned fruit, milk, bread, eggs, pasta and pasta sauce. A dedicated “shopping team” from Islington watches for bargains and then travels around the city picking up these much-needed staples to ensure that every client gets enough food to feed themselves and their family.
Our wish is that we will also receive enough money to enable us to keep our food bank’s Hospitality Table well-stocked through another year. Most of our clients line up prior to opening and by the time they come inside they are hungry, cold and often times have been without food for a day or so. Many, many people have told us how hot soup, cheese, fresh bread and even an orange are luxury items to them and they are so grateful we provide them. The quantity of food being consumed at our Hospitality Table every food bank is rising and we want to ensure we have enough to go around so no one leaves hungry or thirsty.
Finally, our wish this Christmas is to keep the Church Emergency Food Pantry supplied year-round so when someone comes to the church for help, there is always basic food for them to take away.
With all this in mind, here is how you can help!
Let us work together to continue helping individuals
realize their dreams, hopes and wishes.
- Please make a cash donation using a White Gift Offering envelope or give online by selecting "White Gift Offering" on our secure Canada Helps web page.
- Beginning Sunday, November 20, there will be many white bags in the Sanctuary. Please take one and fill it according to the suggestion list attached to each bag. Then return your gifts on White Bag Sunday, December 4.
- For those who knit, we welcome your beautiful hats, toques, scarves and mitts that will be distributed at the food bank during December and January.
Make a Difference – Every Person – Every Day
White Bag Sunday – December 4, 2011
Thank You for your White Gift Offering
