It was her job to hand out the gift cards, and Jean Barnes couldn’t believe how much pleasure it gave her.
“I’m fuelling up,” she said, grinning. “I’ve got a week’s worth of joy just watching all of this.”
Barnes, 53, was one of dozens of volunteers at the Mustard Seed Street Church helping to fill hampers with food and toys for needy families.
She and her sister, Louise, worked in the church’s family centre, which, at this time of year, gets converted into a tiny toy store, its shelves lined with donated stuffed animals, Lego, Tonka trucks and board games.
Thanks to the generosity of others, parents, who would otherwise be unable to afford gifts for their kids, get to browse the shelves and pick out something special for their children.
“We used to do it differently and we decided to offer parents the choice, which is so important,” said Diane Pearson, family resource co-ordinator. “And they know their children, so they can come up and choose the gift their child will appreciate the most and use.”
Pearson said the church relies on donations from the public and assistance from the Times Colonist Christmas Fund to keep the shelves stocked. “I don’t think it could happen without the TC and the donors in the community,” she said.
Parents can even take home a bike restored and safety-checked by the people at Russ Hay’s The Bicycle Shop and The Re-Buy-Cycle Shop.
“We definitely would like to see every family leave with a gift or several gifts that are really going to help them this Christmas,” she said.
The hampers include fresh vegetables, dairy, dry goods, ham, cheese, eggs and the choice of a turkey or a gift card.
It’s a mammoth undertaking that sees the Mustard Seed distribute 1,200 hampers — 300 of them to families — over 10 days. Derek Pace, food security manager, said the effort involves 600 volunteers putting in more than 5,000 hours.
Megan, a 21-year-old single mother to a one-year-old daughter, said the Mustard Seed’s hamper makes all the difference at this time of year.
“I get to give my daughter a good Christmas,” she said. “And I don’t have to stress about finances during the month. And the food goes a long, long way. It’s tremendously helpful; I’m so grateful for this place.”
In the makeshift toy store Friday, she was found a Dr. Seuss book for her daughter along with some soothers, a bath toy, a few stuffed animals, a Chase ‘N Go Ball Popper, plates and sippy cups.
“I can’t wait to see her open it,” she said. “She’s going to be so excited.”
As for Barnes, she said it was enough for her to watch people getting a chance to celebrate the holidays like anyone else.
“I’m sitting here smiling away,” she said. “This is better than Christmas morning for me.”
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.
