Season’s Greetings! While most people are gleefully running around, planning festivities, and wrapping presents, it’s important to be reminded that this time of year isn’t always joyful for everyone. With many Montrealers in need of food, clothing, shelter, and hope, it’s time to get into the spirit of giving. Here are the many ways to get involved this holiday season and gather that last bit of good karma before the New Year.
Sun Youth
Every year, Sun Youth participates in distributing Christmas and Chanukah baskets between December 18th to December 24th. Food baskets and toys are given to 18,000 low-income individuals and underprivileged families. Sun Youth needs the support of the public and of companies and is in need of non-perishable food items and hygiene products. Also, with winter around the corner, Sun Youth’s clothing bank is open Monday to Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am and from 1:30pm to 2:30pm.
For more information on how to donate, visit: sunyouth.org.
4251 Rue Saint-Urbain, Montréal, Québec H2W 1V6
(514) 842-6822
Moisson Montreal
As the largest food bank, Moisson Montreal is looking to feed the holiday spirit. All year round, they strive to keep anyone going hungry well-nourished by giving them access to food. Moisson Montreal encourages people to organize a fundraiser or a food drive to collect perishable and non-perishable foodstuffs that will help prepare 16,000 holiday baskets and 35,000 holiday meals and offer emergency food relief during the holidays.
For more information on how to donate, visit: moissonmontreal.org.
6880 de la Côte-de-Liesse Ch, Saint-Laurent, Québec
(514) 344-4494
Welcome Hall Mission
Shelter, food, and love are three words the people at Welcome Hall Mission live by, especially around the holidays. On December 6th, be part of Noel Pour Tous, when thousands of toys are distributed to children from disadvantaged families or are donated to Christmas baskets. Each basket contains a chicken or turkey, groceries, clothing, and shoes. Don’t forget the basics! Underwear and socks often get overlooked when it comes to donations. If you can’t make it out, as little as a $2.97 online donation to the annual Christmas campaign can provide a traditional holiday meal to someone in need.
For more information on how to donate, visit: welcomehallmission.com.
606 De Courcelle St, Montreal, QC H4C 1L5
(514) 904-0698
Mission Old Brewery
What started off as a soup kitchen has now transformed into a benevolent organization in Montreal. Mission Old Brewery has always taken care of the homeless community in Montreal, providing access to food, clothing, and a safe place to sleep. They are guaranteed to get a lot of traffic as the colder months approach.
For more information on how to donate, visit: oldbrewerymission.ca.
915 Rue Clark, Montréal, Québec H2Z 1J8
(514) 866-6591
Share the Warmth
It’s hard to feel the warmth of the holidays when you don’t know when your next meal will be, so Share the Warmth does their best to ensure that as many impoverished communities don’t need to worry. With your donations, they fill boxes of food and provide a delivery service to needy shut-ins. You can also donate warm clothing and coats to their second-hand shop that offers affordable clothing to residents in the area.
For more information on how to donate, visit: sharethewarmth.ca.
625 Rue Fortune, Montréal, Québec H3K 2R9
(514) 933-5599
The Shoebox project
Gather your coworkers or a group of friends and join in on the Shoebox Project that collects and distributes gifts in the form of shoeboxes to women in shelters in Canada. Include any drug-store items, like soaps, shampoos, creams, make-up, something warm, or something sweet and don’t forget the inspirational message!
For information on drop off locations, visit: shoeboxproject.com.
Christmas 4 A Cause
Undergraduate students at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business produce and participate in fundraising activities to help the less fortunate members of the Verdun and Point St. Charles area through the St. Vincent-de-Paul Society and their respective Church Parishes. Christmas 4 A Cause accepts all donations of non-perishable food, toys, games, books, clothes, and money made payable to “Saint Thomas More Parish Christmas Fund.”
All donations can be dropped off at the Marketing Department of Concordia University (13th floor of the John Molson Building, to the attention of Brent Pearce).
For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Montreal Gazette Christmas Fund
For the last 48 years, the Montreal Gazette Christmas Fund has made the holiday season a little brighter for Montrealers by asking readers to donate as much or as little as they can. The Montreal Gazette gives one hundred percent of the money raised to those who need it most.
You can read a story published everyday about a family that will be receiving a cheque this holiday season.
To donate, fill out this form on their website.
If you can’t make it to any of these locations, make your morning coffee run that much more fulfilling by dropping off non-perishable food donations at your local participating Tim Hortons as part of their holiday food drive.
Featured image photo credit: Instagram user @bertexertier
