Family Services of the North Shore
Grant Program: Give Where You Live 2024
Funders: Community member donations, including 100 Women Who Care, matched by the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead Fund (to $10,000)
About
Family Services North Shore (FSNS) Community Hub provides a safe environment open year-round for our North Shore neighbours in need. Over the holidays, the FSNS Christmas Bureau ensures families, individuals, and senior clients can celebrate over the holidays with a warm meal and spend time with family. Recipients have an average monthly income of $1,705 (family of 4).
Project Accomplishments
- Over 2,600 individuals were supported through the Christmas Bureau this makes up over 1,100 families, including 244 new families and all received a holiday gift basket
- Over 620 community sponsors created and delivered beautiful holiday gift baskets to families
- Our team delivered over 1,100 meals to isolated seniors and 400 bags of groceries to families, which fed approximately 1,911 North Shore residents
- We were able to provide over 3,000 winter coats and 1,000 personal care kits to those who came in needed essential items
Not only were we able to provide the above resources, but thanks to additional funding we were able to top up families of 4+ with additional grocery gift cards, further easing the burden of providing food for their family and just enjoy being together. We were able to keep stocked our teen gifts, which are always the first items to go. These items are so important as they are not just gifts, but provide a sense of inclusion and connection being able to be like their peers. And no one got turned away. With lots of walk ins toward the end of the month before the Christmas Bureau closed, we were able to give families or individuals a bag with toiletries and grocery gift card(s). For example, we had a senior who came in looking for sheets. The Hub team put together a care package of not only sheets, but cookies, chocolates, tea and gift cards. The relief and gratitude on their face was heartwarming.
“We truly couldn’t find the words or sentences that can express our gratitude and appreciation for all the love you gifted us. Your thoughtfulness greatly touched our hearts and we were left speechless and in tears of joy. ” – Christmas Bureau recipient