How are they going to cope with Christmas on the horizon?

Facing the holidays with little or no money for gifts or food can increase anxiety.

Even though we have seen more people use our food bank this summer and more people register for Christmas Care Hampers, I remain confident that we will be able to address these growing social needs because people care.

A good example of unplanned help came during our Thanksgiving Dinner.

“We need 400 pounds of Turkey,” cried our cook Chris. Bob Cameron of Ancaster came to our rescue when he heard our plea on CHAM radio. Bob not only dropped off 20 turkeys but he also took care of the pumpkin pies and cranberries as well.

As a result, some 269 people went away well fed. It’s this type of grass roots community support that has been a hall mark of Mission Services Opportunity Centres for years!

Carmela Trombetta, also of Ancaster encouraged her two children, Alexandra 8, and Julian, 6 to get involved with Christmas in the core last year by spending their own allowances to buy gifts for our Christmas Hampers.

What a positive way for children to learn that we are our brother’s keeper.

This Christmas, I am asking children to bring colour to the grey, gritty streets of Hamilton’s core by using their artistic talents.

It would be ideal to decorate the walls of our cafeteria with colourful Christmas pictures, in watercolours or crayons.

We could also use the pictures on the walls of our food bank to lift spirits, and in our women’s shelter too!

Bright colourful pictures of the first Christmas are my favourite.

Please mail in your paintings or drop off your art work before December 20th, care of, Pastor Ed, Mission Services Opportunity Centres, Box 368, Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 7W2.

Thank you for helping us brighten up Christmas in the Core. Merry Christmas!

Please note:

We plan to provide Christmas Hampers to 1,500 people this year, up from 941 last year.

Christmas Dinner is Sunday, Dec. 28, 5 p. m. with 300 expected for dinner.

PASTOR ED RADDATZ

MISSION SERVICES OPPORTUNITY CENTRES