A box full of gifts for their children can make all the difference for families struggling at Christmas time. As the Red Deer Christmas Bureau Society opens its doors this week, the need is expected to be greater than ever.
“Every year it goes up,” said Willy Bullock, director of the toy depot and volunteer coordinator.
“In talking to other agencies I assume it will be way up again this year. The food bank is up. The clothing bank is up.”
In 2009, the Christmas Bureau at 1,116 applications, serving 1,156 children.
“When mothers go out of here with tears in their eyes we know we’ve helped,” Bullock said.
“We get a lot of hugs and we’ve been told more than once that if it wasn’t for the Christmas Bureau they wouldn’t have a Christmas.”
Bullock has worked with the organization for 14 years.
“I’m retired. I’ve been retired since 1992 and I’m not the type of person to sit at home and twiddle my thumbs or knit...(The Christmas Bureau) gives me a purpose in life. It really makes me feel good to help all these people,” Bullock said.
She was prepping everything last week to ensure it would all be ready to go this week and already the phones were ringing, with people asking how they could apply.
Applicants need to show proof of residence, proof of income and Alberta Health Care cards for themselves and their children.
Once their application goes through people using the Christmas Bureau will have the chance to go to the toy depot to pick items best suited for their children, with toys grouped by children’s age just like a little store at the toy depot.
The Christmas Bureau will begin taking applications this week and continue until Dec. 17, with toy shopping running at the toy depot from Nov. 29 to Dec. 21.
Christmas food hamper will be distributed on Dec. 22 and 23. The Christmas Bureau office, located at #10 7429 49 Ave. in Red Deer, across from Cosmos North Hill #1 Depot, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The Red Deer Christmas Bureau Society is in its 49th year, starting in 1961 when the Red Deer Fire Hall would take in used toys, repair and paint them for children.
The biggest challenge every year is having enough items for teenage boys and girls and for newborns to one year olds.
Bullock said it can be a challenge knowing what to get for an adolescent or teenager because it changes all the time.
The City of Red Deer’s Toys for Tickets, the Red Deer RCMP’s Charity Check Stop and Stuff a Bus all support the Christmas Bureau.
Both the Bower Place Shopping Centre and Parkland Mall put out boxes where people can donate items and people can donate money or toys at the Christmas Bureau office.
Bullock knows the program makes a difference to families.
She remembers one year the Christmas Bureau had hardly opened and a girl came in and dropped a $100 bill on the desk.
“She said, ‘Years ago you helped my family. I want to start paying back.’”
Bullock told the young woman to wait and she would give her a receipt but the young woman didn’t even want one.
“That is when you know you’ve helped someone,” Bullock said.
For more information on the Christmas Bureau, phone 403-347-2210.
sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com