Overview of a Christmas Basket Program 2024

For many years St. Mary’s Conference, Lindsay has had a Christmas basket program which, at the turn of the century, was two bags of groceries, a bag of potatoes and a turkey or ham. Over the years the program has expanded to included food and gifts for everyone as well. I will provide a rough outline of how the current Christmas Cheer Program works so that if you wish to begin a similar program you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. For further info or forms, please contact ssvplindsay@gmail.com.
During Covid we changed from groceries to gift cards and continued this as it takes less volunteer hours.

1. The work begins at the last meeting in June where we decide what financial assistance will be given to the applicants. This year we decided to increase the base amount of $50 to $100 per family of one or more, plus an additional $25 voucher for each person in the family. Families are able to choose either Food Basics, Giant Tiger or President’s Choice or some of each.
2. In late August we held a meeting of SSVP members who are willing to gather, make decisions and volunteer to help with the program. An additional meeting may be held in November.
3. Deadline dates are established for distributing posters, bulletin announcements, phone calls to last year’s participants, interviews, delivery/pickup dates and specific gift programs for children. Information is posted on parish bulletin boards, Catholic and other elementary schools, the Catholic secondary school, and local food banks without a Christmas program.
4. As our parish does not have a parish hall, we need to book space at the Knights of Columbus Hall for collecting and packaging and at the local elementary school for deliveries and pickups. We’ve been blessed that the local paramedics have assisted us for over 20 years with deliveries.
5. Mid-September a phone team who have been prepared with a script and 10-15 new forms and last year’s application forms begin to call, collecting preliminary info on the forms of those who are in need this year. A team member also calls anyone who was helped during the year. All applications are returned to the coordinator (who is usually the president).
   
6. Recipients are required to come in for a personal interview with ID and proof of residence and need. Recipients of OW or ODSP and/or those living in subsidized housing need no further screening.
7. Applicants with children are requested to bring in a wish list of two toys/games. Along with this we ask for sizes and colour preferences for two articles of clothing. We recommend a $50 limit. The application form has personal info on the front only and gifts details on the back.
8. In October, at the personal interview (on Tuesdays from 10-noon or Wednesdays from 4-6 pm) when the application is finalized and approved, applicants are given a reminder notice about pickup or delivery, whichever they choose. In some cases, the signature requirement may be waived because of health or physical disabilities if the person is known to us.
9. By October 31, all approved applications will be numbered, depending on the allocation of their sponsors. An effort is made that families will be in a different group # each year (200s, 400s, 500s).
   
10. Be an Angel Program (200s) The coordinators will place information about requests in the church (sometimes as angels on a tree – alternately a sign-up sheet and gaily wrapped collection box where info will be relayed by email) where parishioners are invited to choose a gift for a child. Each child will have two angels – one clothing, one fun. Assigning Angels to sponsors is usually completed within three weeks if any left. Gifts are expected to be returned, labeled with family number, unwrapped, often in a gift bag, by Nov 30 so they can be checked. Volunteers will shop for any missing gifts and sometimes some balancing if one child has fewer gifts. Once complete, all gifts are placed in black garbage bag(s) with family # (e.g., 205, #1 of 3).
11. Families with high school-aged children only (300s) will be allowed to choose and reserve a gift card for the teen. Children over 18 are considered adults.
12. Four parish schools (400s) participate in the program by choosing a family or child per classroom, additionally collecting food. High school students help with transporting gifts back for delivery. The schools are given profiles of families only, no names. Every effort is made to ensure that children are not sponsored by the school they attend.
    
13. Adopt-a-Family (500s) The coordinator additionally contacts the parents to see what they might like as a Christmas gift. The sponsor is provided with a family profile only. Sponsors are often parishioners, friends, businesses, or local organizations. Gifts are returned to the coordinator’s house for checking. Some may be delivered separately before the common delivery date.
14. Adults only (600s) are a separate group, regardless of number of adults (1-5 usually).
15. Master List Labels are prepared containing names and address and contact info plus people details such as M, D, G14, B6, G3, plus delivery/pickup status, food gift card choices and $ value plus teen’s gift card choices and $ value). Last year we had 144 families and this year we capped at 160.
16. Once the list is complete, and as soon as possible, a list of gift cards is prepared and gift cards ordered through the parish office for committee pickup. As a fund-raiser for our church building fund, our parish makes gift cards available for purchase throughout the year.
17. Red envelopes are purchased, labels attached, Christmas message and gift cards are inserted and balanced before sealing, closer to delivery date and locked in the parish safe until delivery date. Envelopes are sorted into neighbourhoods for delivery or alphabetically for pickup.
18. A second label is attached to an index card for delivery/pickup signature.
19. Each adult is given a wrapped pair of socks.
20. Every family is given a box of chocolates, bag of chips and larger families receive cookies.
21. A wrapping day (4-8 people) is scheduled and items wrapped in colour-coded paper. This allows distinction between men’s and women’s socks, chocolates (1-2 people, 3-4 people, 5 or more).
22. Grocery bags in a different colour are assigned to each group (e.g., 200s and 300s), labeled with a family number and stuffed with socks, chocolates, etc., closer to the delivery date.
23. Bags (and food) are picked up from each school on Friday before 2nd Monday delivery and stored in a locked room at the school. Extra food is re-bagged and given to larger families.
24. On the 2nd Sunday in December, gift bags are moved from the K of C Hall and lined up in the school gym after mass on Sunday morning. Deliveries/pickup date is usually (Monday) to allow volunteers to prepare for their own holidays.
25. On delivery day, two members staff the control/reception table. Four checking tables are set up. Two members are assigned to look after the gift garbage bags. One is assigned to 200s and 300s grocery bags, etc., plus one on bags of potatoes. Six shopping carts are borrowed from a local grocer. Two more volunteers help to transfer bags to ambulances. One person calls in to our SSVP number and returns calls. A crew of 2-4 are in the kitchen preparing coffee and snacks, and later everyone sits down for lunch when deliveries are done by noon. Pickups begin at 12:30 pm at the control desk.
26. A group of 4-6 family deliveries is made in the same neighbourhood. Control table calls out the family #. Member from gift bags (if gifts) and member from grocery bags and potatoes bring the items to the checking desk. Once verified, the order is placed in the shopping cart and wheeled out to the ambulance for delivery, with the red envelope and index card in full view.
27. Once the order goes out the door, the family name is stroked off the list. Once the index card comes back, it is filed alphabetically.
28. Undelivered orders go to the telephone person for trouble-shooting. Some need to be picked up after work so will be sent home with a volunteer or left at the parish office for pick up.

Our faithful helpers from the Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service for over 20 years.