Ideally, new items are preferred, since the hampers are meant to feel personalized and special — not an opportunity for people to clean out their closets. That said, we will gratefully accept gently used items only if they are in excellent, like-new condition and freshly washed.
These families can access second-hand stores on their own; through the hampers, we hope to offer the dignity of receiving new, well-fitting items chosen just for them.

Of course!

Each hamper ideally includes both thoughtful ‎gifts from the wish list, at least one per family member, and several gift cards (minimum 3-5) for groceries, clothing, household necessities, or small indulgences. During the pandemic we used a gift-card-only model, and that approach remains entirely valid today.

School-based volunteers typically purchase or arrange the hamper containers. Many use affordable budget options from stores like Canadian Tire or Amazon. Large laundry-style baskets, big cardboard boxes, or sturdy gift bags work perfectly well (IKEA bags, while big, aren’t ideal since they may not preset as neatly).

We recommend creating a shared Google Doc (or equivalent) that all donors can access. The list should track wish-list items, note what has already been donated, highlight outstanding items, and help avoid duplication while ensuring every family member receives something meaningful and the families needs are addressed.

Social-workers will collect the filled hampers directly from the schools or donors usually on the Monday or Tuesday just before school holidays begin. A convenient time and date will be arranged the week before with a window for arrival. We kindly request all hampers are clearly labelled with the profile number and social worker’s name, and they are stored in an easily accessible area. Also please have gift cards in a clearly labelled separate envelope so extra care can be taken in their safekeeping. It’s ideal to have a volunteer on hand to greet the social worker upon arrival and assist with loading.

Each profile is a snapshot of a family’s struggles created by a the school social worker of one of the children (anonymized to protect student privacy). It includes size and colour preferences, the ages of family members, and a “wish-list” based on genuine needs. You’ll find several sample profiles her for reference — .FAMILY 1‍ | ‍FAMILY 2‍ | ‍FAMILY 3

We’d love to!

Many families would greatly appreciate larger items such as appliances or furniture — please contact your school’s volunteer organizer so that pick-up and logistics can be coordinated.

Absolutely!

If you have any items that you’d like to contribute beyond your assigned family, please let your volunteer coordinator know and we will allocate them to another family in need.

The program has a dedicated team that collects the profiles from social workers and distributes them to participating schools or donor groups. Then each school requires volunteers to coordinate efforts, as well as a “hamper lead” volunteer for each classroom or group who will manage donations for the individual families. The volunteers at each school distribute the profiles to classrooms, email reminders to the parents and/or students, ensure the hampers are filled adequately and ready for pick up. If possible, families are matched with classrooms where the children are similar ages as this makes a more resonant connection. It truly takes a village!