For the past 20 years, the Bradford Adopt-a-Family toy drive program has helped ensure every local family in need has presents under the tree on Christmas morning.
Adopt-a-Family board members Brian Gallagher and John Blake were at Canadian Tire on Wednesday morning to receive a $5,000 cheque from store owners, Mark and Diana Sheeler, which went towards this year's program.
The Adopt-a-Family program works in collaboration with the Helping Hand Food Bank to fill hampers with toys and food for community members in need. Gallagher, Blake and Bradford District High School's Jenn Bake help organize the initiative every year.
Typically, the organizations will have volunteers go out and shop for gifts and goods, specific to each family's needs, but for the past two years, due to COVID restrictions, they have been supplying families with gift cards instead, to do their own shopping.
The hamper giveaway took place last Saturday, with 140 families receiving gift cards, including 275 children. This year, the organization raised a total of $23,000 in gift cards for families from local businesses, schools and private family sponsors, including Canadian Tire, Flex-N-Gate, Bradford District High School, St. Angela Merici Catholic School, and Holy Trinity High School.
"It's a community initiative, and what's donated stays in the community," said Gallagher. "We couldn't do this without the support of such an amazing group of donors."
This is the second year that the Sheelers have donated to the program. Last year they also donated $5,000 to the program through A Bradford Christmas charity.
The Sheelers feel it's important to support community initiatives and charities like the Bradford Helping Hand Food Bank and the Adopt-a-Family program.
"It's absolutely most important to give back to the community that we work and live in," said Mark. "We are honoured to be able to do such a thing."
Diana says the donation to the programs goes hand in hand with their store's Jump Start charity, which is targeted toward youth and getting them involved in sport and physical activity.
"The support of food security for families is a foundation of things for kids to get out there and play sports," said Diana. "For us personally, we see it as a tie-in, and it's really important to give back."
