Donations needed to provide Ottawa households with a Christmas supper

With less than a week before Christmas, there is an urgent appeal for donations, as nearly 200 households and families in Ottawa wait to hear if the Caring and Sharing Exchange can provide them with a holiday meal.

"We did expect an increase but this is overwhelming," says executive director Cindy Smith. "We're seeing a significant need in the increase of 19 per cent. We have almost 9,000 families on our list and that represents close to 27,000 people in Ottawa in need this year. It's a record."

Through the 108-year-old Christmas Exchange program, community members in need, most of whom are seniors and children, receive food assistance in the form of a voucher or a food hamper.

The program ensures that struggling families can enjoy a healthy and festive meal, leaving them with a sense of dignity and hope for the new year.

"We have an overwhelming number of people looking to have a gift voucher this year," says Smith. "With that, they can go and buy whatever they need. We have people with food sensitivities or just people who are not comfortable with somebody maybe coming to their door to deliver something and we can send money right out the door as soon as we get it to assist them right before Christmas."

This season, the holidays are looking different for many Canadians, especially families, who must grapple with the sharp rise in the cost of living.

Salvation Army spokesperson Glenn Van Gulik says one-in-five households is struggling with food insecurity.

"It's something that we've known and seen on our front lines," he says. "Forty-five per cent of single parent family households are coming to the Salvation Army seeking support specifically with food. Many of them are actually skipping a meal, making sure their children have lunch the next day, or reaching out to a food bank like the Salvation Army to make sure they can get to the end of the month. That's not the only need, often they're coming to us because there is something deeper and it affords us the opportunity to work with families, maybe something do to with their rent … the increase has been significant."

The food hampers provided through the Christmas Exchange Program contain all the fixings to create a festive holiday meal, from turkey and stuffing, to cookies and hot chocolate. There is also a variety of vegetables and fruits, which are crucial additions to a nutritious meal but are not always accessible to those on tight budgets.

"Many of us take a homemade meal on Christmas for granted, but for many families it is a luxury," says Smith. "We are reaching out to the generous members of Ottawa today to request donations so that we can eliminate our waiting list all together. Every dollar counts and will put us one step closer to ensuring not one person on our list goes hungry over the holidays."

Donations to the Caring and Sharing Exchange can be made online.