Christmas around Mission Services
As Christmas quickly approaches, the halls of Mission Services’ locations are abuzz with excitement. Decorations are going up and staff are meeting to figure out how to make this Christmas extra special for our clients.
“Christmas is a time of community, sharing, and coming together,” said Jaclyn, Assistant Director of Outreach Programs for Women and Children. “These values are such important parts of our programs that we take the opportunity to celebrate them whenever possible.”
Thanks to the generosity of our community through our Sponsor-A-Family program, the kids at Inasmuch House will wake up to presents on Christmas morning, with their moms also receiving a care package. Staff at Inasmuch House have also planned family activities such as crafts and baking, ensuring that resident families can have a way to celebrate during a difficult time.
Willow’s Place and Emma’s Place will be hosting a Christmas dinner, with other holiday-themed activities planned throughout the season. Each shelter resident will receive a gift from staff as they work to make Christmas a special time once again.
“People can feel so alone during the holiday season, and we want to make Christmas special for them, said Jaclyn. “They may be coming in here with bad memories or past trauma surrounding the holidays, so we want to give them an opportunity to create new, positive memories about Christmas that they can look back on fondly.”
The 196 program will hold their annual family Christmas party, giving the kids an opportunity to share the joy of the season with their parents and siblings. It also gives parents a chance to interact with staff and see first-hand the impact that the program is having in the lives of their children.
“We’ve had a lot of new kids come into the program this year, and this helps us get to know their parents better and build a relationship with the whole family,” said Adalia, coordinator of The 196 program.
“The better we know the kids, the more well-rounded support we’re able to offer them.”
Some of this support comes in form of Sponsor-A-Family donations, as all 15 kids and their families will receive presents and care packages this year. This is made possible by the kindness of those who gave towards the program.
Our Good Food Centre will be offering special holiday items that clients can pick out when they visit during the month of December. This will include holiday-themed treats, food options, and gifts above and beyond the essential groceries that they will already be choosing. Regular hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will continue right through the holidays, only being closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.
This time of year can be especially difficult for those dealing with addictions, so Addiction Services will be holding special drop-in sessions for clients the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This provides clients with structure and support outside of their regularly scheduled groups.
As the weather gets colder, our Men’s Shelter will be distributing winter hats and warm clothing to clients to ensure that they are protected from the elements. They will also be serving a traditional Christmas dinner for clients, evoking fond memories for some and creating new ones for others.
We could not provide the care and support that we do without the generosity of our donors. From new warm clothing to delicious hot meals, gifts under the tree to Christmas treats and goodies, it’s because of your spirit of giving that we are able to offer hope during what can be a difficult season. Please consider contributing to ensure that Christmas will be extra special for those who are struggling.
