Moments and Milestones
A Visual Experience of What We've Been Up To
Gift Card Packages
Each week, the families in our program receive an envelope through their school.
This is what our envelopes looked like in the very beginning. We sent an informational card about who we are, a $50 gift card to help with grocery support, a Family Feedback form (with return envelope) to connect with us for ongoing or changing needs, and an inspirational quote to encourage them or brighten their day.
Now, we also include a specifically curated Service Spotlight insert that highlights the details and contact information for a program, activity, or event that may be useful for their family.
Care Kits
Each month, every family in our program receives a Care Kit. These bags have a rotating selection of personal care, hygiene or household items that are always needed but rarely guaranteed in other hamper programs, and are often cost prohibitive for our families. Each and every month we also include toilet paper and recess snacks for the children at school. We load up the bags in our cars during the last week of each month and deliver them to the schools for our families to collect.
We also work to try to have other assorted needed items like diapers and wipes for families with infants, and donate those things as requested if we have them available.
Birthday Bags
Everyone deserves to have their birthday acknowledged, and our families are no exception. The cost, however, of getting everything necessary for a little celebration can sometimes fall into the "nice to have but not needed" category. If our families choose, they can put both the adults and children in their household on our birthday list ,and receive a birthday bag filled with everything needed to have a little party. They can pick their flavours of cake and icing, and we also include sprinkles, candles, party hats, noise makers, a birthday banner, a party tablecloth, paper plates and napkins, streamers, balloons, and a little group game such as Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or horn on the unicorn!)
We also include a hand-written birthday card to the special birthday person, and include a small additional gift card 'present' so that all our children and adults are able to get themselves a little treat to celebrate their special day.
Twice a Week Bakery Donations
Our two schools receive day-old bread and bakery items from the Southcentre Safeway Bakery department one day a week each. On Tuesdays and Thursday mornings, we go and collect the bakery items from Safeway and take them to the schools. There is sometimes more bread than the schools can manage to hand out, so on those days we take any extras, including fully decorated cakes, muffins, cupcakes and other yummy treats, to the Deer Run Community Centre for any community member to come and help themselves to as they need.
We also work with some other like-minded community members in Deer Run who have agreed to pick up these bread and bakery donations on Saturdays and Sundays, and they host a social at the Community Centre Sundays to share with anyone who would like to come and get what they need for the week. We have also secured donations of frozen day-old meats that on the weekends and they have that available on Sundays as well.
Thank you Southcentre Safeway ~ you are truly a community hero for so many!
