Abbotsford’s Ground Zero Ministries is hosting a stocking fundraising drive to bring Christmas cheer to the unhoused.

Joseph Sakura, executive director of Ground Zero, announced the stocking drive on social media inviting community members to contribute by filling stockings with items. Volunteers of the organization will then distribute the stockings to the homeless wherever they can find them. Sakura emphasizes that even small, affordable items can make a significant difference in enhancing the Christmas experience for those facing homelessness.

“We have a location here in Abbotsford where community members will drop off filled stockings,” Sakura says. “Stuff they acquired from the dollar store wherever they can find neat cheap stuff like hand warmers, socks, crossword hooks. A little token of love.”

In addition to the Stalking Fundraising Drive, Ground Zero Ministries has expanded its efforts this year by organizing a Christmas dinner prepared by the renowned Spice Kitchen. They hope to continue spreading holiday cheer by providing warm and nourishing food to those who may otherwise go without during the holiday season.

Sakura expressed gratitude for the community's ongoing support and generosity, emphasizing the collective impact that small acts of kindness can have on individuals facing difficult circumstances.

“The opposite of addiction is connection,” Sakura says. “Talk with them, give them a stocking and just let them know that they're loved.”

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