Every year, families around the region rely on foodbanks to make their Christmas a little brighter. This year is no exception.

Dan Macloskie, a board member for the Niverville-based Helping Hands, says the organization will be accepting applications for hampers until November 30.

Already they’ve got 73 families signed on. He’s fairly confident that number will be closer to 80 by the end of November.

Sponsorships, too, are being accepted until November 30. The hope is that there will be at least one sponsor per family in need. Sponsors can be individuals, churches, families, or businesses.

Macloskie says that Helping Hands made the shift a couple of years ago from asking the community at large for food and gift donations to leaving that up to individual sponsors.

“We find that it’s a bit more personal that way,” Macloskie says. “We can give them more specifics about the kids.”

The sponsor will make a cash donation towards the food portion of the hamper, leaving the grocery purchasing to Helping Hands so every recipient receives the same.

This year, families will have the option of a turkey or ham. There’ll be potatoes and other vegetables, stuffing, buns and butter, oranges, chocolates, and home-baked Christmas cookies. For Christmas morning, there’ll be pancake mix, syrup, milk, and eggs.

“When we get sponsors for particular families, I match them up based on the size [of family], small, medium, or large. The families give a few ideas on what kinds of gifts their kids might be interested in. It’s specific to kids 12 years old and under but most sponsors will get a gift for the teenagers as well.”

Traditionally, the purchasing of gifts is left up to the sponsor, but Macloskie says Helping Hands is willing to take donations here as well, taking further pressure off sponsors.

The identity of each Christmas hamper recipient family is carefully guarded by Helping Hands. The sponsor receives only the most basic information necessary.

Helping Hands will be receiving sponsor donations on the first two Saturdays of December.

“On the fifteenth, we get all of our volunteers together and pack the boxes so it’s all prepared. And then on the sixteenth the fire department comes out and does the deliveries for us.”

Macloskie adds that a number of local churches and schools have indicated their intent to do food drives for Helping Hands. Oftentimes cash donations are more prolific during this season as well.

Last year, for the first time, one Christmas hamper volunteer took it upon herself to bake 120 dozen cookies to add to the food hamper. She’s offered to do it again this year.

“We’re always just so super grateful for the community’s support,” Macloskie says. “It’s been a really good year for Helping Hands in that way.”