After many years of supporting local families through their Christmas Food program, House of Friendship is reshaping how it will support families at Christmas in Kitchener and Waterloo to serve more people.
The change comes as demand for holiday food support and program costs continue to rise, prompting the organization to shift its focus towards connecting community members with year-round emergency food programs that provide ongoing support beyond the holiday season.
“Over the years, as more families struggle to put food on the table, demand for the Christmas Food program has grown dramatically,” says Clare Wagner, Community Services Director at House of Friendship. “Last year alone, we supported about 4,750 households through this program—and registration filled up in just four days, showing just how many people in our community are reaching out for support.”
Wagner adds, “We dream of a Christmas where no family in our community must face the impossible choice between buying a toy for their child or putting food on the table. At the same time, with poverty on the rise, we want to connect people to emergency food programs available year-round through the Community Food Assistance Network. This December, we anticipate that more than 6,500 families will need food support, highlighting the importance of ongoing access to food resources—not just during the holidays.”
In addition to the growing demand during the holiday season, Wagner says it has become increasingly clear that many people who need help with food in December also need additional support throughout the year. “By connecting people to local emergency food programs year-round—including in December for Christmas meal items—community members can also access other resources, such as tutoring programs, peer groups, and one-on-one family support services, to help them thrive.”
Through this ‘more than food’ approach, House of Friendship expects to support more households this holiday season, while also helping connect community members to vital resources that can support them throughout the year.
Residents in Kitchener and Waterloo who need food support for Christmas are encouraged to access House of Friendship’s and other emergency food programs through the Community Food Assistance Network, supported by The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.
While House of Friendship’s Emergency Food Hamper Program at 807 Guelph Street, Kitchener, is available Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on holidays), community members are encouraged to go to the food assistance program nearest to them.
To find food assistance, community members can:
For all communities in the region, the Waterloo Region Christmas Support Network has the latest information on Christmas and holiday food and toy programs at ChristmasSupport.ca. Each city and township offers varying supports, and some programs require registration.
Wagner continues, “We know how much our community has loved supporting and volunteering with our Christmas Hamper program. We also know that people want to find the best ways to help neighbours in need, and we’re grateful for everyone’s continued support as we move forward with this new approach to better meet those needs. Generous support from donors, including the Kitchener Conestoga Rotary’s Turkey Drive, will continue and volunteers will still have opportunities to serve families at Christmas through our food program.”
Wagner explains that the Kitchener Conestoga Rotary Turkey Drive fundraiser is essential, helping House of Friendship provide extra Christmas meal items for community members this holiday season. Community members can support this initiative through financial donations, which can be made online at turkeydrive.ca. “With more households than ever needing support, your donations are crucial.”
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region also accepts non-perishable food items and financial donations year-round. Donations can be dropped off at 50 Alpine Court in Kitchener or online at thefoodbank.ca/donate. Community donations support the 54 organizations in the Community Food Assistance Network, including House of Friendship, that provide food support and resources to more than 73,000 people across Waterloo region.
Volunteers play a key role in this year’s program—and are essential all year long. To get involved, visit www.houseoffriendship.org/volunteer.
For more information, please contact:
House of Friendship: Community Services Director Clare Wagner, 519-742-8327 x 335, or clarew@houseoffriendship.org.
