As the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg prepares to open its doors on November 05, the charitable organization, supporting individuals and families for over a century, is already anticipating a high volume of hamper requests.
In the 2023 Christmas season, a record number of hampers were requested, which caused substantial strain on the organization. “We faced overwhelming demand last year, to the point we actually had to turn off the phones and not take applications after December 22,” explains Shawna Bell, executive director of the cheer board. “That is the first time in the history of the cheer board we’ve ever had to do that.”
The total number was over 20,500 hamper requests. Bell believes the number of hampers unfulfilled was approximately 500.
Dedicated volunteers and staff worked tirelessly to meet as many requests as possible, knowing each hamper could make a significant difference. However, not everyone can be supported, which Bell hopes not to replicate as they prepare even before they begin taking requests. Additional food orders have been made, with efforts to collaborate with other organizations across Winnipeg to meet the demand. These efforts are to avoid doubling or even tripling up on hampers, ensuring as many individuals as possible can receive the aid they need.
“If we can make sure that everyone gets a hamper and no one gets left behind as a collaborative effort,” says Bell, “then to me, we’re doing what we need to be doing not just as a community, but a group of organizations working to make Winnipeg a better place.”
Bell believes several factors contributed to the record demand last year, inflation being one significant contributor, with some making difficult financial decisions and some who Bell says have never used their services in the past. From January 2022 to 2023, food prices increased by 14.64 in Manitoba. Food Banks Canada’s 2023 Hunger Count report shows that food bank visits in Canada reached nearly 2 million, the highest level on record, and a 78.5 per cent increase since March 2019. Cost of living is another element that contributes to the demand. Across Canada, wages increase significantly slower than the cost of living, and although minimum wage, as of October 1, 2024, has risen to $15.80 per hour in Manitoba, paying for necessities continues to be a challenge for many.
According to the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg’s data, the working poor and seniors require the most support. Out of 20,000 hampers, Bell estimates 5,000 go to seniors, with a large remainder going towards individuals either on social support or those working several jobs to make ends meet. Newcomers, specifically over the past few years with the Ukrainian population, have also been utilizing the hamper services. The cheer board’s efforts look to alleviate the strain on these individuals and, no pun intended, bring cheer to those struggling during the holiday season.
As the demand for food services continues to increase, the role of government is paramount in addressing growing systemic inequality and food insecurity. Here in Manitoba, Bell believes the increase in the minimum wage is a step in the right direction. However, training opportunities are needed to provide individuals with the skills they need to find employment. The federal government can also play a role on the national stage, with greater support to alleviate food concerns and for individuals to live their lives and not have to struggle as hard to make ends meet.
“I’d like to be able to say down the road, the cheer board is not needed, but we’ve been here for 105 years now,” says Bell. “Ourselves and organizations like Harvest [Manitoba] dearly want to see improvements overall so people can have a better life.”
Although hampers are created internally within the cheer board, there are opportunities for sponsored hampers. Out of these hampers, some of the more important aspects are donated gifts for children, particularly teenagers, financial support to the cheer board, and volunteering.
“We can definitely always use volunteers. We’d love to be able to put folks to work who want to come in and see how we operate. It’s really an opportunity to have your eyes opened and see how busy it does get in here.”
When the cheer board opens on November 05, hundreds of volunteers will be through those doors packing and delivering hampers to those who need them. If you want to support the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg or need a hamper this holiday season, visit their website at https://www.christmascheerboard.ca/.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
