‘Tis the season for giving, and the House of Lazarus (HOL) is looking for help in supporting some of their holiday programs. HOL is running several programsx and events to help those in need this Christmas. Client Services Manager, Kim Merkley, says that, although people have already been very generous this holiday season, there are a couple of their programs that still need help.
Their Adopt-a Program asks people to donate a holiday meal, gifts, or both, to a family, senior, individual or couple in need. Kim says donations can be made by actually purchasing the food and gifts, or through gift cards. Donations should be dropped off at HOL (2245 Simms Street in Mountain) before December 14.
HOL is also looking for donations for their Heat for the Holidays program, a partnership between HOL, Community Food Share and Winchester BMR, aimed at providing a months-worth of free fuel for fireplaces and wood stoves for food bank families. In 2017, each household received 84 boxes of Eco-Energy Logs which contained eight 100-per-cent hardwood logs in each box. A survey done by poverty advocacy group Linking Hands found that 77% of respondents listed hydro costs as one of their biggest housing-related issues. “The families we met during the delivery process were relying on fireplaces and wood stoves to keep them from needing to use their electric heat, whether it was forced air or electric baseboard heaters,” said Linking Hands coordinator, Sandy Casselman. “Those I spoke with said they didn’t know how they would deall with large hydro bills if and when they need to turn the electric heat on to battle the deep chill of winter.”
Kim says the need for the program has tripled since last year. “We had nine families last year and we are hoping to help 23 this year,” she says. A $63 donation will give a family-in-need enough Eco-Energy Logs to last for a week, and a $252 donation will supply them with heat for the whole month. Donations can be made by calling HOL at 613-989-3830.
HOL is running several other programs this holiday season, including their Angel Tree program, Project Warmth, Green Food Box program and the Reverse Advent Calendar program. Wednesday, December 12 is their Just for Kids Christmas Shopping Event where kids are invited to shop for affordable presents for their parents and loved ones in Mountain Treasures and HOL Boutique. The event runs from 5-8 pm and volunteers will be on hand to help wrap gifts while the parents relax in the food bank.
For more information about HOL and the programs they are running this Christmas (and throughout the year) visit www.houseoflazarus.com.
