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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
After last year showed a growing need for the Salvation Army's Christmas hampers - with gifts and food to mark the holiday season - the organization is preparing again to help out Yellowknife's less fortunate.

Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo Stacey Van Metre of the Salvation Army Resource Center is now accepting applications for the Christmas hamper program from community members in need. Here, she shows some leftover packaged food from Thanksgiving. Distribution of the food and gift packages will commence Dec. 19. -

Stacey Van Metre, a case worker involved in organizing the program, said that between 2009 and 2010, there was a jump in the number of requests for hampers to 1,100 from 800. While Van Metre she said she is uncertain about how many will be needed this year, the organization began the application process Tuesday. This will continue up to Dec. 13 before hampers are sent out between Dec. 19 and 22.

Applicants are asked to provide a proof of residency, such as a utility bill, a health card for all members of the household, and a child tax statement if possible. Hours are limited at the Salvation Army and Van Metre asks applicants come forward at any time between 9 a.m. and noon on weekdays.

Van Metre said the need for the hampers is driven by many factors, such as the challenges faced by low-income families and single-parent families. As such, the Salvation Army aims to provide toys and gifts as well as a full turkey dinner for Christmas.

She also said that because there are housing shortages, sometimes costs for food and other necessities can be hard for some Yellowknifers. Also factoring in are those in the community who have drug and alcohol addictions and can use help from the community during the holiday season.

The extent to which the organization can help will depend on the amount of donations received, so Van Metre is calling people in the community to once again come through and help as much as possible. Volunteers are also needed and can expect to help putting together the hampers and handing them out to recipients.

Van Metre has credited a number of supportive organizations throughout the community who have helped the Salvation Army's efforts. In particular, she mentioned the help from Yellowknife schools.

St. Patrick High School, for example, has regularly run its inner school Operation Christmas program which involves all students coming together to adopt a child in each home room to provide food and gifts to go in a Christmas hamper. When each of the home room hampers are full, the students gather in the school gymnasium and create a human chain to pass boxes person to person to the Salvation Army.

Susan Huvenaars, co-ordinator of St. Pat's Operation Christmas, said the school has a long tradition of helping out the less fortunate in the community.

She said the school has collaborated very well with the Salvation Army, particularly in recent years when the Christmas Hampers program has revised its campaign approach. She said the school has been involved in the program for the last three years and typically puts out 20 to 25 hampers for the effort.

"All of the students will be involved somehow and we do recognize some will be recipients," Huvenaars said. "But everyone will be involved in the chain to deliver or wrapping presents and we will all have a little celebration after with hot chocolate and cookies."

Huvenaars said the school has yet to determine when they will launch this year's Operation Christmas, but it will take place sometime in mid-November. Delivery day to the Salvation Army will be Dec. 14.

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