SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The season for giving is approaching and several Yellowknife charities are hoping to make it a joyous time for everyone.

Food donations are needed now to stock the shelves of the Yellowknife Food Bank prior to the ferry going out, said Dave Ritchie, president of the board at the food bank.

He estimates it spends about "$50,000 a year on groceries" feeding hungry families in Yellowknife.

"We're doing reasonably well," despite the current recession, said Ritchie, adding the food bank generally makes its $50,000 quota.

"It is wonderful how generous people in Yellowknife can be," he said. The food bank, located in the basement of the Overlander Sports building on 51 Street, operates every second Saturday, including tomorrow.

Yellowknifers can donate any time at Overlander Sports, said Ritchie. Donations of food, cash or cheques are accepted.

"We haven't had extreme shortages this year. We have had to occasionally cut off distribution at 150 bags (of groceries)," said Ritchie.

The Salvation Army's Christmas Hamper program has also gotten underway. Last year, approximately "460 hampers were filled, about 200 were shipped out to 10 other communities," said program coordinator Cheryl Thomas.

Thomas said changes are being made this year to the Adopt-a-Family Hamper program where Yellowknife residents fill hampers for families in need, giving them the option of providing food boxes or gifts. In the past, the names and ages of the family would be released to those filling the hampers. "This year we're aiming for complete confidentiality," said Thomas, adding Yellowknife is a small community and it is hard to maintain a family's privacy.

The Salvation Army will be sending out pamphlets to every home requesting cash or cheque donations. Christmas kettles will be set up starting Nov. 27 until Christmas at the downtown liquor store, Wal-mart and Canadian Tire.

The YWCA also has a charitable campaign this year, but has chosen to focus on 30 individuals from their developmental disabilities program, said Julie Green, head of the campaign.

"A needy family can go to the Salvation Army and register for a hamper but we have found our single clients often fell through the cracks," she said. "We need to make the community aware of them."

Green said the YWCA is also involved in "quite a comprehensive donation program," which includes a mass mail-out during the first week of December and toy drives by local businesses for children staying in its shelters.

Some are looking beyond Yellowknife in their efforts, like Barb Beaton, who is co-ordinating this year's Operation Christmas Child through the Christian organization, Samaritan's Purse.

The campaign collects shoe boxes full of small gifts, clothing, soap and other essentials for children overseas. Beaton said boxes are available from Merle Norman, the Eternal Rock Bookstore and the Church of Christ. Yellowknife has been involved for several years, said Beaton, who has co-ordinated for the past three years.

"Our boxes from Western Canada tend to go to Central America," she said.

Last year, the group sent more than 600 boxes from Yellowknife. The boxes themselves are delivered to needy countries year round. Other charitable organizations, such as the United Way, offer the advantage of "donor-designated giving," said Mary Ann Notarianni, communications co-ordinator with the national office. This option allows the donor to choose what percentage of their donation will go to a charity or several charities.

Yellowknife does have a United Way branch, but does not have an office location. The easiest way to contact them, she said, is to donate directly to the Yellowknife branch at the information listed on their website.