A total of $2,975 in cash, as well as donated items, has been raised through a Facebook auction page called ìNeighbours helping Neighboursî to assist Sundre families in need.
Sundre resident Shelley Kohut created the page in September and has since, with the help of the community, been able to assist three families.
The group, which currently consists of 479 members, is now collecting for two other families.
The intention of the page is for people to donate items for others to bid on and the money raised then goes towards helping members of the community that are in need.
The first family was adopted through Santa's Anonymous and is a family of five. A second family received $500 in Sobeys gift cards and gas cards.
The group then became aware of another family in need, whom they provided donated furniture to. They will be welcoming a baby into the family in March.
ìThey came from out of province to a job, but they came with a suitcase in hand only and had nothing. So we've got them in a little house -- it's fully furnished and now we've got stuff for the baby,î said Kohut.
The items include a crib, stroller, car seat and high chair.
One of the families the group is helping now includes a single mother with two children. The mother has injured herself and is unable to work. The other family includes a single mom who is facing a new start.
ìI'm loving seeing this site grow. What we're able to do and what we're going to be able to do excites me,î she said.
ìThere is a lot of families when they get into trouble they have a good strong support base here in the community and people will fundraise for them. But then there are a lot of people that don't have family around or a big strong support base and hopefully we can be there for them.î
She is pleased with the support the site has received so far, but welcomes all the support she can get.
ìThe way I look at this is it's not to be an ongoing source for a family. It's to be able to help out somebody who has an unexpected need that puts them behind the eight-ball,î she said. ìAs long as the community supports the page by either donating items to auction or bidding on auction items, then we will keep that page up. I would like to see it grow where there's more than myself as an administrator, or maybe there's four or five people in the community that are working at it, kind of like the buy and sell.î
Before Christmas, Greenwood Neighbourhood Place (GNP) officials notified the group about a family that was in need of winter boots. After Kohut posted the need for boots on the page, several pairs were donated that she was able to provide to GNP.
ìWe were an outlet that they were able to express that need and the community seen it and the community fulfilled that need,î she said.
ìIt's not all about cash. It might be the mom who needs a car seat because hers is expired. And somebody might have one. So it could be taking someone's needs and just putting them out there and them being met not necessarily in a cash way but in a physical way.î
The support for the page has not only come from Sundre residents. There have been people donating from places including Calgary, Airdrie and Didsbury as well.
ìI called this Neighbours helping Neighbours, figuring it would be Sundre people helping Sundre people. You'd be surprised how many people out of Calgary have been really generous to us,î she said. ìWe just got a $333 donation from a lady in Calgary.î
Items posted on the page are available to bid on for a minimum of one week. Items can be dropped off at the Remax iRealty Innovations office in Sundre.
