Sundre's Santa's Anonymous program wrapped up for the year on Friday and 161 hampers were delivered to Sundre residents last week.
Santa's Anonymous is a program that provides for less fortunate Sundre families and individuals during the Christmas season. Program coordinator Sarah Kennedy said it's an important program to have in the community because it creates poverty awareness in Sundre.
“The welfare challenge basically says that if you are on welfare and you have no access to any food bank you have $21 a week in food to live. I tried to do it to see if it was possible, and it's pretty impossible; you are hungry,” said Kennedy.
“And we've had people referred to our program that have nothing.”
The reactions she received from hamper recipients were “heartbreaking” and she has already decided to take on the job again next year.
“I don't feel like it's enough. What we did here isn't enough. And I really believe that. I've seen it now. Their needs are there year-round, not just at Christmastime.”
Throughout the course of the program, which started Nov. 1, she was never short of volunteers and donations were up from last year.
“Donations from the general public have just been overwhelming. You ask for something and it turns up at the door,” she said.
All of the families and individuals who were referred to the program received a hamper. Volunteers were working 12-hour days last week and put together up to 55 hampers in one day.
The deadline for referrals was Dec. 12, and people were being referred right up until the last minute, with 12 people referred that day. Last year there were 167 hampers distributed.
New to the program this year was a Secret Santa initiative, which Kennedy said went over well.
“I think it was a really good idea. It got everybody what they wanted. And most of the time it wasn't much, it was tea towels, bath towels, socks, mittens, tuques,” she said.
The annual charity checkstop held on Dec. 5 raised roughly $11,200. The money was spent locally and was used to purchase gift cards, hampers, personal care items, and other items that were not donated.
“I'm grateful to the community. I'm grateful to the volunteers. There has been a lot of people involved all the way through,” she said. “It's a very giving community.”
