KAMLOOPS — The Christmas season is — to some — the most wonderful time of the year. But, to many others, it’s a time of struggle.
For families who are just scraping by, the thought of purchasing gifts can be a source of tension.
Since 1978, Christmas Amalgamated has set out to ease that tension by allowing parents to shop for their children without fear of the cost.
Zelinda Davidowski shopped for her three-year-old daughter on Friday (Nov. 16). The single mom says Christmas Amalgamated has turned their Christmas around.
“Being low-income, even though I’m still working, it’s hard sometimes with Christmas,” Davidowski said, “so this is amazing, the people who volunteer here, I can’t thank them enough.”
Located at 750 Fortune Dr., Christmas Amalgamated has helped thousands of low-income families since the operation began 40 years ago, providing donated gifts for children and Christmas food hampers for seniors.
“When the families come in, the mother actually goes through the depot here and selects her presents for Christmas,” said Sally Whitson with Christmas Amalgamated. “Then, about a week before Christmas everything they need comes right to their door so that they have everything for their Christmas dinner. Seniors, it’s the Christmas dinner that they’re concerned about.”
Businesses, community groups and individuals with the means to help can adopt a family to create a hamper for.
“The person who’s making the donation actually makes the decision as to what size of family and even what side of town that they would prefer their people to be in,” Whitson said.
The toys for children are typically donated the previous year, with many coming from the B100 Toy Houses.
“If it wasn’t for the Toy Houses we would have no way to start because we don’t see hardly any donations into December,” Whitson said. “By then, we’ve already registered in the neighbourhood of 500 to 700 families who have already chosen toys from here.”
For Davidowski, the donated toys mean she can give her child a gift she couldn’t otherwise afford.
“I’m very fortunate, my family’s here,” she said. “So, her great grandparents are here, and my mom is here as well, but from me personally it would have been a little bit darker for me.
“And now I can be proud.”
