Thanks to the Knights of Columbus and the Oliver Food Bank, a little more than 200 local families will have a happier holiday season as recipients of the Christmas Hamper program.
That number has held steady for the past three years, according to Deputy Grand Knight Wayne Danbrook, though the program has been running for nearly 50 years. In the first years, about 10 families were receiving hampers.
“The more donations we get from the public the better the hampers will be,” he said.
Hampers are filled ahead of time with non-perishable foods, and just before pick-up time they get topped up with fresh food like veggies and ham.
“Then we add toys and goodies to it,” Danbrook said.
With no administration costs, all donations make their way directly to the families. Hampers are picked up on the weekend before Christmas.
Donation boxes can be found at many popular businesses around town including the Oliver Chronicle. The Knights of Columbus also accepts donations by cheque, which can be mailed to Box 343, Oliver, V0H 1T0.
