A popular campaign is returning to a rural food bank south of Ottawa this holiday season, with the aim of spreading Christmas joy for families in need.
For Gayle Hewton and Janet Carkner, it's become a yearly tradition the past 16 years, participating in the Holiday Hope campaign through the House of Lazarus Food Bank.
"We're so blessed, and it just makes us feel that were giving a family or an older couple at Christmas, and it's helping them too, that they don't have to spend so much money," Carkner said. "Maybe they can use some of those funds that they would spend on Christmas to pay for their rent, their food or whatever."
Like many other food banks in the region, the House of Lazarus has seen a 40 per cent increase in users this year, with 200 households expected to need help from an adoptive family this holiday season. "Last year one of the women, an older couple, she wanted a toaster," added Carkner. "We did get her a really, really good toaster. It was just the joy of being able to do that to help someone out, just some simple thing like a toaster, like we're all so used to having.""We give them the ages and gender and wish lists and that's about it," added Merkley.
Merkley said some clients have a hard time asking for help during the holidays, and don't want to go to their community for fear of embarrassment, but she says their doors are open to everyone.
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