2021 CHRISTMAS HAMPER PARTY!

Fri, Dec 17 – 7-9 p.m. — bag non-perishables
Sat, Dec 18 – 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — build the hampers

NEW LOCATION
High Point Community Church
949 Fullerton Ave V9A 3Z9, in Vic West

Over the past 20+ years, our heartwarming annual tradition has evolved and grown in response to the ever-increasing hunger in our community. This year we’re tweaking what’s worked in the past to create a COVID-19 safe event that will be impacted less by supply chain disruptions due to the recent flooding of BC farms. 

Here’s this year’s plan! – 2 shifts of 30 people:
Thank you Volunteers!
A few spaces are still available for Friday evening.
Saturday shifts are filled!!

SHIFT OPTION 1. Fri, Dec 17 — 7-9 a.m. — bag non-perishable items,
SHIFT OPTION 2. Sat, Dec 18 — 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — pack the fresh produce into the hampers

On both days we will verify vaccine passports, require masks, and provide a sanitation station. 

When you receive your Punchbowl invitation email, check the Potluck page.

This is where you can sign up for ONE of the two volunteer shifts listed above, and indicate what you want to bring. To donate money go to Contribute on the list of To Do Items, or Interac e-transfer cash to christmashamperparty@gmail.com

NOTE: your tax deductible financial donations increase our bulk purchasing power.

On Saturday, we’ll have live entertainment for people picking up their hampers, courtesy of violinist Marjorie Cullerne and puppeteer Tim Gosley.

We are compensating for the sudden rise in food prices.

A hamper with a turkey, bread, butter, milk, eggs, coffee, tea, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, dessert items and treats costs about $75. For the cost of a restaurant dinner for two, you can bask in the glow of knowing that your donation feeds an entire family!

With so many in urgent need, and the uncertainty around obtaining bulk orders due to the flooding of the lower mainland turkey farms, most hampers will include a $25 gift card so that families can purchase the main course item of their choice.

We are grateful to have the Victoria Christmas Hamper Party back again, adapting as always to feed as many of our less fortunate neighbours as possible.  Your generosity warms and lights up the season, and we can’t wait to see you at the 2021 Christmas Hamper Party!

Our hampers are distributed by the Salvation Army. If you know someone who needs a hamper, have them register online or call to sign up for support: Salvation Army, Mustard Seed and other food banks.

Joyce Kline and the Organizing Elves: Dan, James & Lisa, Val, Di, Laura & Paul,

High Point Community Church in Vic West, 949 Fullerton Ave

We are super excited to announce that because the Salvation Army is expanding their hamper distribution system to include Esquimalt and Saanich locations, they are able to give us High Point Community Church as this year’s party venue.  This means that…

Families will be able to pick up their hampers directly from the party!

There will be no need for refrigeration, the Salvation Army won’t have to arrange trucks and, since we always place a massive bulk order with Wholesale Club close by, we’ll be saving backs, too.  All our hampers will go straight to the needy in Victoria and Esquimalt.

This is an opportunity for us to spread even more holiday spirit!

Along with our usual holiday music, we’re hoping to provide treats—not just for our workers, but for those picking up their hampers, as well.  Just think what fun that will be for all of us!

We’re going for 200 hampers!

In 2019 we donated 179 hampers and last year we raised an impressive $10,350 in cash for Santas Anonymous, but we couldn’t appeal to the generous in-kind business donors who normally support us.  By soliciting business donors, comparison shopping, and buying in bulk we can actually stretch donations further creating hampers than we can by raising money to buy grocery gift cards.  So…

Our goal is to raise $15,000 in cash and food donations

let us fill those clean new hampers with nutritious fresh food, lovingly decorated.  We’ve already got the first $1300—now let’s raise the rest for the most inspiring holiday party ever!

(*And don’t worry; robust COVID-19 protocols will be in place!)

See you at the party!

Joyce and Elves Laura & Paul MacDonald, Lisa Paquin & James van Dam, Dan Doherty, Val Sharp and Diane Madill

(the COVID-19 edition): Zoom Party Celebrates 20 Years of Hamper Making

FINAL COUNT is $10,350 raised for Santas Anonymous!

We more than did it…We Triumphed!!

I received the email I’ve been waiting for from Santas Anonymous letting us all know the total amount Christmas Hamper Party supporters donated to feed families in need this Christmas.  The Elves and I wanted to wait until we could relay that information before sending out this year’s final report so—drum roll, please!—we are beyond thrilled to let you know that in spite of having to go virtual this year, our faithful party supporters donated a whopping

$10,350 to Santas Anonymous!
 
Our party has become a huge part of the holiday season and while we look forward to once again filling beautiful fresh food hampers next year, let’s pause for a moment to give thanks that this year—even in the midst of a global pandemic—we were able to feed so many struggling families.
 
Watch the ZOOM PARTY presentation
If you weren’t able to join the virtual Zoom party celebrating 20 years of Christmas Hamper Parties Past, our awesome Queen of Zoom Elf Darlene recorded it for you.  Just click the Vimeo link to watch a fun-filled hour of photos, videos, and anecdotes from past parties, Kady Savard singing Christmas carols, actors reading letters from hamper participants, and much more.  
 
Settle down with a festive drink and see what we’ve accomplished working together.  Here’s to our past and future success! https://vimeo.com/490545558
 
Happy New Year!
Joyce and Elves Dan, Paul, Laura, James, Lisa, Val, Di & Darlene

• What a wonderful party – and an amazing result. Both Lily and I had a grand time yesterday!We know how beneficial the gift of a hamper can be to so many people at this time of year. But your gift to the party-goers and hamper-makers is immense as well. You made it so easy, so gratifying, and so fun for all of us to act generously. Thank you for that incalculable offering. — Merry Christmas, Jean Macgregor

• I am so pleased to have been a part of the Hamper Party although I was not there in person, I was in spirit.  What a wonderful thing to do for our fellow earth citizens.  It is the thing to do  . . .  to look after those who are not as fortunate as we and to let them know that some of us care. — Many thanks for including us and Morning Fresh, Marnie Crowe and Lawrence Eastick

• I am contacting you on behalf of Bernice Carter and the Victoria Chapter of the CCA to express our gratitude for your donation of gluten free products and gift certificates to our inaugural Gluten-Free Christmas Hamper initiative. hard-working volunteers created no less than 21 hampers containing your donations, apples, oranges, vegetables, milk, turkeys and more. I had the privilege of delivering the hamper pictured to a woman in need and received the heartwarming email of thanks below. The very best to you this season! — Ellen Bayens

• Thank you and your members for a very unexpected .. delightful surprise!  How very kind and generous of you and the members of the Victoria Chapter to think of me, especially when we’ve only met on two short occasions.  I’ve been very blessed.  With the bounty I received I shared it with my neighbour below me, as he has so little … when it comes to food.  He thanks you so much as well.  In fact he was as surprised as I was.  A loss for words … we both suffered from that last night.  That was a sweet a loving gesture – I thank you from the bottom of my heart. M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S to all Santa’s Helpers . — Best Wishes and Happy Holidays

Victoria’s Poet Laureate Linda Rogers joined us for her first hamper party in 2010. Here’s a visual poem that she made to tuck into each of our hampers. She’s given us permission to let you download her poem for your hamper, too.  Thanks, Linda!

2010 Party Poem by Linda Rogers

2010 Party Poem by Linda Rogers PDF [click to download]