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At the heart of holiday season, toy shop helps needy families

It’s just after lunch at the Salvation Army Stan Hagen Centre for Families in Quadra Village and a huddle of people waits outside for the front doors to open.
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Toy shop supervisor Rehema Hall stocks up on big teddy bears at the Salvation Army Stan Hagen Centre.

It’s just after lunch at the Salvation Army Stan Hagen Centre for Families in Quadra Village and a huddle of people waits outside for the front doors to open.

When they do, the group rushes to a table at the back of the lobby to grab slightly overripe fruit and vegetables delivered as part of a donated food sharing program.

Downstairs, workers and volunteers have transformed the basement into a temporary toy shop, with hundreds of families scheduled to visit.

“This time of year is very busy. And we’re just busy in general,” says Pat Humble, community ministries director.

The agency not only collects donations through a variety of seasonal fundraisers, including the Times Colonist Christmas Fund, but also registers thousands of families for food hampers and gifts for the kids.

“Last year, we saw a lot of singles. But this year, it’s more families — a lot that you might call the working poor,” Humble says.

Shelves of books and tables of hand-knit sweaters and toques line the halls of the toy shop. A storage room looks a tad bare, while the display room is stacked with new toys for every age from toddler to teen — Lego, Shopkins, craft kits and endless stuffed animals.

“Enormous teddy bears are very popular this year,” says toy shop co-ordinator Rehema Hall.

Each family who visits is allowed a selection of toys for each child, as well as books and stuffies. By early December, they had already seen about 150 families with close to 300 kids.

“We’ve seen a lot of Syrian families this year,” Hall says. “They’re definitely excited to experience Christmas for the first time, even if they don’t totally get the concept of Santa or stocking stuffers. We help them through it.”

Eahn Kang says she heard about the toy shop through a friend who is a volunteer. She has two jobs and her husband works full time, but they still have trouble making ends meet.

“We work, but every month is cheque-to-cheque,” she says.

High rent, car payments and groceries are major expenses. Daycare for the couple’s 3 1Ú2-year-old daughter is more than $1,000 a month — which is average.

“You have to pack fresh, good food, too,” Kang says.

It seems there’s no getting ahead for the young family, despite jobs that pay at least $18 an hour. They don’t use food banks and don’t make a big deal out of Christmas. “But it means a lot to my kid. The whole month, that’s what they talk about [at daycare],” says Kang, who is grateful she can go to the toy shop and get a few nice gifts for her daughter without added financial strain.

Erwin C., who did not want to use his full last name, looks around for gifts for his son, 13, and daughter, 8.

“Having presents at Christmas to surprise them is very much appreciated,” says Erwin, who works as a cook.

Christmas is a big deal for the family, who immigrated from the Philippines. Erwin says it was during the nine-day advent novena mass several years ago that he prayed “to go to work in Canada and bring my family.”

He is looking forward to giving thanks and celebrating this holiday season.

spetrescu@timescolonist.com

How to donate

The Times Colonist Christmas Fund helps people in need in Greater Victoria through the Salvation Army and the Mustard Seed Street Church. It also provides financial help to Our Place Society.

• Go to timescolonist.com/donate. The site is open 24 hours a day and provides an immediate tax receipt.

• Mail a cheque, payable to the Times Colonist Christmas Fund Society, to the Times Colonist Christmas Fund, 2621 Douglas St., Victoria V8T 4M2.

• Use your credit card by phoning 250-995-4438 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Outside those hours, messages will be accepted.