When a young mother of three couldn’t hold back her tears of gratitude for the generosity shown her family at Christmas, Hilary Bellis gave her a warm hug, her eyes welling up as well.
Spread out on a table at the Newark Neighbours barn was enough food to feed the woman’s family over the holidays, including the largest chicken she had ever seen, and stacks of toys for her children to open Christmas morning.
Bellis, the president of Newark Neighbours, says it’s not unusual for recipients of food and gifts to be overcome with emotion, as this woman was — the help families receive at this time of year makes the difference between a good Christmas and no Christmas.
In addition to the donations received from the community, including food collected at the Christmas parade by NOTL Hydro and at the Candlelight Stroll, the local thrift store and food bank that helps the needy of Niagara-on-the-Lake has people who sponsor families, buying all that will be needed for a great Christmas.
They had more offers of sponsorship this holiday season than they had families in need, she said, so they’ve already started a list of enthusiastic donors who want to help out at Easter.
The number of families requiring help, not only at Christmas but throughout the year, has been pretty stable in for the last several years. This holiday season Newark had 33 names on their list — some seniors, single and couples; and some families with kids.
One of the volunteers calls when there are kids involved to see what they are hoping to receive at Christmas, and will pass that information on to those sponsoring families. That way there’s a good chance the children will receive at least some of what was on their wish list, said Bellis.
And the sponsors, as this grateful and very surprised young mom discovered, make be sure the families they are helping are well looked after.
“They are generous, exceptionally generous,” said Bellis.
Especially this year, she added, possibly because the organization has been working hard to make people aware of what Newark does, and that there are people in need living in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
In the past, the food bank has relied on donated non-perishable food items and whatever meat and vegetables they could get in their freezer, purchased with money generated by the thrift shop.
But this year, to save shopping and to ensure food recipients receive fresh meat and vegetables, what they need for their particular diets, and also what they like, Newark purchases PC gift cards that can be spent at the local Valu-marts, which also collect items for the food bank.
There are now about 34 volunteers helping Newark, which was founded in 1971 by Peggy Anderson, who came to Canada as a war bride. In her early years in town she worked on local farms, where she met several large families who were struggling, and wanted to ensure they didn't go hungry.
Today, Newark requires evidence of eligibility for those requiring assistance, including proof of income.
Newark receives no government funding, using revenue from its thrift store to help the needy and to pay the bills for the “barn,” as the building is called, located off the Riverbend Inn driveway at 310 John Street East. For more information call 905-468-3519.
Spread out on a table at the Newark Neighbours barn was enough food to feed the woman’s family over the holidays, including the largest chicken she had ever seen, and stacks of toys for her children to open Christmas morning.
Bellis, the president of Newark Neighbours, says it’s not unusual for recipients of food and gifts to be overcome with emotion, as this woman was — the help families receive at this time of year makes the difference between a good Christmas and no Christmas.
In addition to the donations received from the community, including food collected at the Christmas parade by NOTL Hydro and at the Candlelight Stroll, the local thrift store and food bank that helps the needy of Niagara-on-the-Lake has people who sponsor families, buying all that will be needed for a great Christmas.
They had more offers of sponsorship this holiday season than they had families in need, she said, so they’ve already started a list of enthusiastic donors who want to help out at Easter.
The number of families requiring help, not only at Christmas but throughout the year, has been pretty stable in for the last several years. This holiday season Newark had 33 names on their list — some seniors, single and couples; and some families with kids.
One of the volunteers calls when there are kids involved to see what they are hoping to receive at Christmas, and will pass that information on to those sponsoring families. That way there’s a good chance the children will receive at least some of what was on their wish list, said Bellis.
And the sponsors, as this grateful and very surprised young mom discovered, make be sure the families they are helping are well looked after.
“They are generous, exceptionally generous,” said Bellis.
Especially this year, she added, possibly because the organization has been working hard to make people aware of what Newark does, and that there are people in need living in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
In the past, the food bank has relied on donated non-perishable food items and whatever meat and vegetables they could get in their freezer, purchased with money generated by the thrift shop.
But this year, to save shopping and to ensure food recipients receive fresh meat and vegetables, what they need for their particular diets, and also what they like, Newark purchases PC gift cards that can be spent at the local Valu-marts, which also collect items for the food bank.
There are now about 34 volunteers helping Newark, which was founded in 1971 by Peggy Anderson, who came to Canada as a war bride. In her early years in town she worked on local farms, where she met several large families who were struggling, and wanted to ensure they didn't go hungry.
Today, Newark requires evidence of eligibility for those requiring assistance, including proof of income.
Newark receives no government funding, using revenue from its thrift store to help the needy and to pay the bills for the “barn,” as the building is called, located off the Riverbend Inn driveway at 310 John Street East. For more information call 905-468-3519.
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