On Wednesday, Oct. 12 NeighbourLink officially launched its 2011 Christmas programs, including Adopt a Family and No Crib for A Bed.
For Calgarians, that means that several opportunities to spread holiday cheer are at the fingertips of those who want to dig a little deeper than a layer of gift wrap this year. For NeighbourLink staff it means making lists and checking them twice.
“We’ll be busier than ever in these coming months connecting Calgarians in need to the neighbours who want to help them out during the holidays,” says LeeAnne Alexander, NeighbourLink’s COO.
“We’d like to blow last year’s statistics out of the water and help more families than ever this Christmas.”
Adopt a Family
The Adopt a Family program is a wonderful opportunity for you, your family or a group you're involved in to reach out to your neighbours who are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas. Try an 'entrepreneurial approach' to your generosity by taking this program and making it your own! We suggest providing a gift for each member of the client-family we connect you with, as well as some Christmas treats and a gift certificate for groceries. But that's just the beginning - connect on a personal level with your adopted family and find out what would make their Christmas extra special. Be Christmasy, be creative!
No Crib for A Bed
This is a program that takes minimal effort but results in maximum impact - impact that is visible and creates a whole lot of warm fuzzies! Best run in a group setting like a church or workplace, you set up a new or gently-used crib (or several!) in an easily visible and accessible spot. Ask passersby to fill the crib up with donations of diapers, formula, baby toiletries, crib supplies and other baby essentials. Everything collected - including the crib - gets donated to NeighbourLink and distributed to infants here in our city whose parents can't afford to buy what their babies need.
Donation Drives
Pick an item or two, collect 'em and donate 'em! That's the premise of our donation drives, whether you pick diapers and formula, can openers, dollars or dishes. All of these items are needed to help the nearly 3,500 clients we assist each year. You could also collect gift items and toiletries for a program we'll be running called Gifts for Gals. Run a drive for candles, soaps, socks and other pampering items, and they'll be redistributed in special surprise packages to overlooked moms in need!
Interested individuals and groups can sign up to participate in Adopt a Family, No Crib for A Bed, or a donation drive by contacting LeeAnne Alexander at lalexander@neighbourlinkcalgary.ca or 403-538-7314.
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