Reason for the season: Where you can help those in need during the holidays
There are many worthy local organizations dedicated to ensuring every child, adult and senior can experience some joy and hope this season. Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2 is the perfect opportunity to donate.
It’s that time of year again, when our hearts are full with the magic of the holiday season.
It is also an important time to think about those in need, because right now, those in need in our communities need us now more than ever.
For some people, the holidays are a lonely and difficult time, but you can share the warmth of the season by donating to wonderful local organizations dedicated to ensuring every child, adult, and senior feels some joy and hope this year.
Many of these organizations depend on what they raise at the end of the year to support their work for another year. Every dollar truly matters, because there are so many in our community living on the edge of poverty, homelessness and hunger, battling addictions and mental health challenges, and struggling from the effects of isolation or exclusion.
According to CanadaHelps, while average donation amounts are rising, the total number of donations continues to decline. Financial strain and inflation certainly have an impact but this decline is particularly tragic because while the number of people donating has fallen, the number of people seeking help from charities has soared. One in five Canadians are using charitable services to meet essential needs. We certainly know this is true in our own city and region.
Now is the perfect time to rally your family, friends, or coworkers to support the organizations that are working hard to help those who need some hope and support this year. Dec. 2 is GivingTuesday.
Here’s an alphabetical list of some of the many local organizations that will be truly grateful for your support this season.
And if you know of an organization you think we should include, please DM us on social media or email meredith@hamiltoncitymagazine.ca.
Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton
735 King St. E., Hamilton
Give the gift of a brighter future this holiday season through the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton’s Give the Gift of Joy campaign. A donation means helping youth with education and stable housing, supporting families with the essentials for children in care, addressing food insecurity for the families they serve, and much more.
The Give the Gift of Joy campaign runs until Dec. 31 with every donation matched by the Diocese of Hamilton. No matter the amount, your donation has the power to bring hope and healing to those who need it the most.
CHCH Toy Drive
4 Innovation Drive, Hamilton
‘Tis the season for CHCH’s Christmas Toy Drive. You can help make the holidays bright for families and individuals in Hamilton, Burlington, Brant and Niagara, by taking a new, unwrapped gift to one of a number of locations in the region until Dec. 19. Or consider making a monetary donation, via e-transfer to toydrive@chch.com, or by making a deposit at any branch of FirstOntario Credit Union. ANY amount is greatly appreciated.
CityKidz Hamilton
601 Burlington St. E., Hamilton
You can make wishes come true this holiday season by donating a new unwrapped toy for children up to 12 years old or hosting a toy drive. The CityKidz Toy Drive runs until Dec. 12. Book a drop-off time or find the list of drop-off locations across the city.
You can also make a monetary donation. For $50, you can brighten a child’s Christmas – the child will receive a thoughtfully selected, carefully wrapped and personally delivered gift, an invitation to attend a CityKidz Christmas party, and a tasty Christmas lunch at a CityKidz Saturday program.
CityKidz was founded on a big dream to see a future free of child poverty; a future where all children have equal opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential. Through faith, hope and love, CityKidz seeks to transform lives and end child poverty, one child at a time.
Their programs are a stable force of love and support for kids from before they can read until well after they’ve written their final high school exams. CityKidz teach kids that they matter, that they are loved, and that they can change their future – and with it, the world.
Good Shepherd
400 King St. W., Hamilton
Good Shepherd services include emergency food and clothing, daily hot meals, emergency shelters, transitional housing and education for homeless and street-involved youth, hospice palliative care, and community mental health programs.
Good Shepherd is running a number of holiday events this year for people in need.
The Good Shepherd Christmas Marketplace will run Nov. 24 until Dec. 24. Your donation means a family in need can assemble a hamper, including toys, stocking stuffers, gifts for youth, winter clothing and food for daily living, and a Christmas dinner. The program had approximately 4,400 households that needed support visit the Marketplace in 2024 — a substantial increase from 2023.
Good Shepherd’s Christmas Wonderland annual holiday celebration takes place at the Hamilton Convention Centre (1 Summers Lane, Hamilton) on Dec. 14. Your donations help support this event for people needing some holiday magic this year. Guests will enjoy a festive meal, kids’ playground, meet with Santa Claus, live entertainment, and everyone gets a gift.
Consider spreading joy by sponsoring a local youth, adult, senior or family this year. You can choose the individual or family you’d like to support and you’ll be taken to a page that includes a detailed wish list. You can choose to buy the (new and unwrapped) items yourself and drop them off or you can make a financial donation that will be used to spread holiday cheer.
Dates and times for delivering your gifts: Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Dec. 9, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Drop-off location: Good Shepherd Family Centre, 143 Wentworth St. S., Hamilton.
Hamilton Child and Family Supports
26 Arrowsmith Rd., Hamilton
Grateful Hearts is a holiday program run by Hamilton Child and Family Supports, an organization that serves families of diverse faiths and traditions.
Funds raised in the Grateful Hearts program are used to purchase gift cards that will be given to referred families, empowering them to make their own purchases based on their individual needs. Last year, the program supported more than 450 families and distributed over $80,000 in gift cards. These cards meant people could buy groceries for Iftar, gifts for Diwali, new clothes for Eid, and toys for Christmas. This year, they need your help more than ever. You can help them make celebrations possible for every family they serve by donating.
Formerly known as Hamilton Children’s Aid Society, Hamilton Child and Family Supports was established in 1894 as a not-for-profit charitable organization focusing on the well-being and protection of children. The organization is mandated under Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act and, as such, is required by law to protect children from physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and harm. It is funded by the Ontario government, through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and is one of 47 children’s aid societies and Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being Agencies across Ontario.
Hamilton Food Share
339 Barton Street, Stoney Creek
Operating since 1990, Hamilton Food Share is the emergency food shipping and receiving hub and emergency food systems coordinator for a network of agencies in Hamilton.
A donation to HFS helps ensure that no child, senior, or family has to spend the holidays hungry. Each $1 donated provides $5 in food. Other ways to help: organize a food drive, volunteer to sort or pack food, or directly donate food.
The holidays are an important time to reflect on the fact that 17,600 Hamiltonians, including 6,000 children, access food banks and meal program services each month. HFS provides more than 4.6 million pounds of nutritionally rich food to 16 member agencies, operating 22 food banks and hot meal programs.
HFS provides industrial-scale food resources to hunger relief agencies, operating emergency food programs open to the public. The food is equitably delivered to food banks and meal programs to ensure that people living in poverty have access to healthy food for themselves and their families.
HFS puts an emphasis on nutritious food, greatly increasing its capacity to receive, store, and distribute fresh/frozen food items, ensuring that all families who rely on emergency food programs have access to a variety of food options. Most of the food distributed is donated by the generous local food industry, including wholesalers and farmers. Some is purchased in bulk at deep discounts and the remainder comes from community food drives by local groups or from special events.
And if you’re attending Frozen at Theatre Aquarius, you can purchase 50/50 tickets at the theatre or online, with the proceeds supporting both HFS and the work of Theatre Aquarius.
Living Rock Ministries
30 Wilson St., Hamilton
Christmas is a particularly difficult time of the year for many young people. Through its Operation Christmas Blessings program, Living Rock Ministries puts together 500 gift and food bags for the youth it serves, while also offering opportunities for youth and children to participate in a wide variety of Christmas celebrations, including meals, crafts, gingerbread houses, and special treats, throughout the month of December.
Living Rock serves one of the city's most vulnerable populations: young people aged 13-25 facing challenges such as family loss, poverty, substance misuse, and mental health issues. For 40 years, Living Rock has been a vital resource for youth in Hamilton, with more than 22,000 visits yearly.
The Mark Preece Family House
191 Barton St. E., Hamilton
An organization that may not be as well-known but deserves big recognition is The Mark Preece Family House.
The holidays can be a particularly hard time for families facing serious health challenges and your donation helps ensure that no one has to face a difficult hospital journey alone during the holidays and all year long.
The Mark Preece Family House provides a warm, supportive, and affordable “home away from home” for families who have a loved one in medical crisis at one of our Hamilton hospitals. When someone is undergoing serious treatment, particularly in cardiac, critical care, or trauma units, having family close can bring comfort, strength, and even aid in recovery. The House helps ease both emotional and financial stress by offering private guest rooms, shared kitchen and living spaces, and a compassionate community of others going through similar experiences. It allows families to stay focused on what truly matters: being there for the person they love.
Next year will be the 15th anniversary of the organization. It does not receive government funding, therefore community support plays a vital role in ensuring families have a place to stay when they need it most. Your donation funds 24-hour operations, maintains rooms and common spaces, assists with meal programs, and provides caring support to families during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Mission Services of Hamilton
196 Wentworth St. N., Hamilton
A holiday donation to Mission Services directly helps a family or individual in need. That could include someone who may be in a new home, or no home, someone who has escaped violence and abuse, someone who may have lost work or can’t find new work, or someone simply struggling to make ends meet. Each gift includes a $50 grocery card and new clothing and/or gifts.
Mission Services is on a mission to end poverty and create safe places to learn, heal and grow. The multi-sector, social service agency believes every person deserves access to healthy food, safe housing, and opportunities for tomorrow. The non-profit serves more than 20,000 people each year.
Salvation Army
80 Bay St. N., Hamilton
150 King St. W., Dundas
One of the most recognizable traditions of the holiday season is the distinctive red kettles and bells of The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army Community & Family Services provides Christmas food and toy hampers for families and individuals in need in the Greater Hamilton area. You can support their work this season by going old school and dropping some money in a Christmas kettle or donate directly through the website.
The Salvation Army Hamilton & Community Services offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, along with practical support for people in crisis.
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become one of the largest non-governmental direct providers of social services in the country. It gives hope and support to vulnerable people every day in 400 communities across Canada and more than 130 countries around the world.
St. Matthew’s House
414 Barton St. E., Hamilton
The Holiday Hope campaign (previously called Adopt-A-Family) by St. Matthew’s House matches low-income families and seniors within the Hamilton area with individuals, families, or groups looking to spread holiday cheer. Last year, everyone who asked for help, got it.
There are several ways to help.
You can adopt a specific family or senior and St. Matthew’s House will provide you with their specific wish list. You’ll have the fun of purchasing gifts, boxing them and dropping them off ready to distribute. The estimated cost to adopt a family with two children is about $350, for groceries, clothing and toys and to sponsor a senior, $125 for groceries, gifts and clothing.
You can also help by donating a variety of gift cards, making a monetary donation, or dropping off new clothing or toys. This method helps ensure that all families and seniors get sponsored, especially last-minute emergency appointments.
Any clothing, toys, gift cards, other items or monetary donations left at the end of the season benefit vulnerable, at-risk seniors who need assistance with housing, food security, isolation or who are in crisis.
St. Matthew's House supports those in the Hamilton community through childcare services, seniors support, and mental health and street outreach. It works to build trusting relationships that assist individuals who are experiencing homelessness to connect or reconnect with community services and supports.
United Way Halton & Hamilton
4210 South Service Rd., Burlington
United Way’s Holiday Helping Hand program is a jolly way to give back and bring a dash of joy to those who need it most. Whether it’s adopting a family in need, building kits, donating to a gift drive, or volunteering, taking part in the Holiday Helping Hand program makes the days merry and bright.
There are a number of ways to support the Holiday Helping Hand campaign, which supports a long list of community organizations and clients in need of holiday sponsorship. The registration deadline is Dec. 5 for adopt-a-family, donated gifts, and Build Kits and all donations must be dropped off to the UWHH Community Donation Warehouse in Burlington on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. Additional details will be provided with registration confirmation.
United Way Halton & Hamilton has a profound impact on the community by ensuring an essential network of programs and services work together to achieve lasting, positive change. Outside of government, United Way is the largest funder of social service programs and initiatives in Canada.
Wesley
467 Main St. E., Hamilton
A 60-plus year tradition, Wesley’s Holiday Drive provides gift cards and much-needed items to adults, children and families. Your support could be a family’s greatest gift this year. The most needed items are $25 gift cards to stores like Walmart, grocery stores, Dollarama, and Giant Tiger, essentials like new gloves and socks, linens like new towels, sheets and blankets, and kitchen items like new microwaves, toasters, toaster ovens, electric kettles, blenders, and air fryers.
You can also support Wesley by making a donation, committing to a legacy or planned gift, or supporting the winter coat drive.
In order to ensure all their clients have a joyous holiday season, Wesley is also offering sponsorships to support specific programs including: Wesley youth housing (19 clients); Wesley supportive housing (6 clients); special care unit (13+); and youth centres (20-30 youth per day). You can donate gifts (gift items, gift cards, treats) for the holiday season.
Items can be dropped off on Dec. 7 and 14, Dec. 8 to 10, and Dec. 15 to 17. Check out their website for more details.
Wesley offers support to people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and barriers in the community. The long-term impacts of Wesley’s programs include improved education, successful employment, sustained housing and supportive independence.
YWCA
75 MacNab St. S., Hamilton & 52 Ottawa St. N., Hamilton
YWCA Hamilton’s Warm Homes, Warm Hearts campaign is collecting winter gear from Dec. 1 to 17. You can drop off new or clean, gently used winter coats, hats, boots, and gloves at both YWCA locations in Hamilton. Look for the Warm Homes, Warm Hearts collection bins in the lobbies.
If you prefer to give a monetary donation online, you can make a one-time or monthly gift to support women and families here.
Your donation will help keep women experiencing homelessness feel safe, warm, and cared for this winter.
If you’d like your non-profit’s holiday campaign to be added to this listing, please contact HCM editor Meredith MacLeod at meredith@hamiltoncitymagazine.ca.
