As the days grow colder, the region’s charitable organizations are gearing up for another season of supporting area residents facing economic challenges as well as outright poverty. Sackville’s Christmas Cheer program and Port Elgin’s Christmas Box campaign collectively help hundreds in the region celebrate the holidays.

PEDVAC Foundation director Jodi MacRae says the organization’s annual Christmas Box campaign provides families with “three days worth of food along with all the food required for a traditional Christmas meal, including a turkey or ham. We also provide all gifts for all members of the family right up to and including the pets.” The program is made possible through donations of money, toys and food from community members and local businesses.

This year, McCrae says she expects 75 families to take part in the program. “It is a big number,” says McCrea. “And I know that each year it has grown.” Five or more years ago there were about 40 families making use of the support, she says. “So it has almost doubled. And we’re certainly seeing new families or an increase in use on a monthly basis.”

In addition to the Christmas Box program, the PEDVAC foundation also runs a food bank, a range of social programs, and a second hand boutique.

In the Sackville area families have been relying on the Christmas Cheer program to provide extra support during the holiday season, in the form of food and gifts. Christmas Cheer is run by the Sackville Community Association (SCA), a group formed as a collaboration between a number of area churches all doing similar work.

After years of running the Christmas Cheer program, the SCA expanded to include some financial supports for people throughout the year.

“Christmas cheer was all we could afford to do in our early years,” says board member John Higham. “And some years, it was hard to even do that. But in the last four or five years, we’ve been getting more financial support from people. And we’re now at a point where we can also provide lower income families with some support in particular areas. Because people run into difficulties with heat, lights, and rents throughout our area,” says Higham.

This year, the SCA board is making some changes. In recognition of the amalgamation that formed the new town of Tantramar, the SCA is in the process of transforming itself to the Tantramar Community Association, and after this year’s Christmas Cheer program winds up, will extend its services to residents throughout Tantramar. Previously, the SCA had limited its activities to those living in the E4L postal code area.

Higham says the group has already started hearing from residents in need of support in its new expanded geographic region.

You can donate to support Christmas Cheer, or find out how to sign up for Christmas cheer or other help, at christmascheersackville.ca

Donations to PEDVAC can be made through CanadaHelps.org, or in person at 12 Church Street in Port Elgin.