If you are hoping to spread some good cheer this holiday season, local charities are still collecting for Christmas.
There are several programs in the city that provide hampers for those needing some extra help to put together Christmas dinner.
The food bank is providing 150 hampers to community members in need, while the Kinettes are coordinating the creation of 250 hampers.
“We are doing our regular hampers plus our Christmas hampers so it’s a bit of a drain on our supplies this time of year,” Suzan Krecsy, executive director of the St. Albert Food Bank said.
The food bank provides hampers for anyone who has missed the Kinettes’ deadline, who live outside the Kinette zone or who don’t want a hamper delivered to their doorstep and would rather pick one up. Both hamper programs help ensure nobody gets missed over the holiday season.
Krecsy said that the numbers of people the food bank is serving are up, but she said they are still receiving donations from the public.
“People are still remembering us and still taking care of us, but it’s going out really fast,” Krecsy said.
The food bank is always looking for fresh produce, such as carrots and potatoes for Christmas hampers. Krecsy said they also are in need of turkeys for the holiday hampers and for their community Christmas banquet on Tuesday. About 70 people are expected at the dinner.
Once the food bank is done serving the community at noon on Dec. 23, St. Vincent de Paul Society will step in and distribute food to any hungry community members. They will rely on donations from the food bank to provide food to those in need.
“Teenage years are the harder kids to buy for so gift cards are great,” Sarah Patrick, marketing and customer service coordinator for City of St. Albert said in an interview earlier this week. “If anybody is able to contribute gift cards they go over really great.”
The Salvation Army is also providing gifts to those who are not able to afford their own. Anybody who is referred through the food bank is able to pick out gifts for the family at no cost. Parents are able to grab some gifts for their children and the children are able to get some gifts for Mom and Dad.
The Salvation Army is still accepting donations and is most in need of teen gifts. Krecsy says that teens can be hard to buy for but gift cards are a good idea.
To drop off food for the food bank visit one of the many donation boxes in the city and for more information please contact the St. Albert Community Village at 780-459-0599. Cash donations are accepted.
To donate toys to the Salvation Army please contact 780- 458-1937.
The Kinettes are still collecting for their Christmas hampers until Sunday, Dec. 18. Anyone wanting to donate can bring food or toys to the King of Kings Lutheran Church at 54211 Range Rd. 253.
