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Good Shepherd opens Christmas Store

By  Sara Loftson, The Catholic Register
  • December 18, 2006

HAMILTON, Ont. - For the past 14 years the Good Shepherd food bank in Hamilton transforms into a Christmas Store for the month of December.

This year the Christmas Store opened its doors to the public from Dec. 7 to 22.

Registered families get to select a Christmas hamper and a toy for each child in a festive atmosphere staffed with up to 40 volunteers per day and 400 volunteers in total.

"What would happen in far too many cases (is) children would wake up Christmas morning and wonder why Santa forgot them," said spokesperson Allan Whittle.

"We think it's important to celebrate Christ's birthday and part of that is to ensure people have enough food to have a form of celebration, even if it just means it's a good meal for that day."

Last year Good Shepherd helped 2,282 families.

Good Shepherd relies heavily on cash, food and toy donations from the public to run the annual Christmas Store.

During the Christmas season Good Shepherd Centre also runs a sponsor-a-family program and an annual Christmas dinner.

The Christmas Store is located at 120 Cannon St. E. in Hamilton. For information visit www.goodshepherdcentres.ca.

More in this category: « Charities feel pinch as province starves agencies of money Captives offer forgiveness to Iraqi captors »

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