By Adopting a Local Family, You Become a Holiday Hamper Elf!
The Holiday Hamper Program brightens the season for Edmonton families in need. Community members become Holiday Hamper Elves, adopting local families and shopping for their festive meals. Following our grocery list, Elves fill hampers with holiday essentials, complementing the turkeys and fixings we provide. It all culminates on Delivery Day, where Elves personally deliver joy to homes across the city.
In 2019, the program officially became its own charity, which allows for tax-deductible donations. With the ongoing support of JCI Edmonton and community partners, the Holiday Hamper Program looks to provide support to 2,000 families! This would not be possible without the support of generous Edmontonians like you.
How the Program Works
Every year, our amazing team of volunteers comes together to make the Holiday Hamper Program happen. We partner with with Edmonton's Public and Catholic Schools, along with our friends at Santas Anonymous, Adopt-A-Teen, and the Christmas Bureau, to source local families facing food insecurity and who could use a little extra joy during the holidays. Once we've got our list (checked twice, of course!), we invite our wonderful community members to become Holiday Hamper Elves. As an Elf, you get to 'adopt' a family and spread some holiday magic! The best part? Each Elf gets to hand-deliver their hamper to the family they've adopted, creating a personal connection and heartwarming moments.
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In early December, we match our Holiday Hamper Elves with their adopted families. That's when the shopping begins! Elves follow our carefully curated grocery list, ensuring each family receives consistent, healthy items. Through year-round fundraising, we provide the turkeys, fish, and roasting pans, while our Elves purchase the remaining essentials for a complete holiday meal.
Then, on the Saturday before Christmas, all our Elves gather at the Edmonton Expo Centre for the big day – receiving their family information and setting out to hand-deliver joy across the city.
20 Years of Special Memories
In 2004, an Edmonton teacher and JCI Edmonton member brought the idea of the Holiday Hamper Program to JCI Edmonton. In her role as a social worker with the school, she saw firsthand how her students and their families struggled throughout the year, especially through the holiday season. She wanted to make their seasons a little brighter by providing the families with healthy meals and ensuring that the kids had gifts to open. She saw a need for a program that could bring joy to kids and their families – an annual tradition was born!
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Since then, the Holiday Hamper Program has grown exponentially and has become a cornerstone of Edmonton's philanthropic community. The program started with one school and 13 families. Last year, 66 partner schools helped provide Christmas meals and gifts to over 1,700 families in Edmonton.
Our Founders
JCI Edmonton is the Holiday Hamper Program's founding organization. JCI stands for Junior Chamber International – a global group of young leaders dedicated to creating positive change in themselves and their communities.
The Edmonton chapter of JCI has been making a difference since 1929 and has helped create many important community programs, including Junior Achievement and Boots on the Ground.