The Community Hamper Association has been extremely busy throughout the past few weeks, trying to accommodate the increased demand.
Many residents have already applied for their Christmas hampers, but the organization expects to see more applications coming before the end of the week.
Char Seeman, who is the co-chair of the association with Heather Woodhouse, said the demand this year is very high. As of Monday afternoon, they were at 278 requests for hampers and 370 requests for toys through the Angel Tree program.
Last year by the end of the season they had 312 hampers applications in total, and Seeman expects that they will surpass this number this year.
"Usually about this time, not even into December, we are maybe at 100 hampers, we just opened it up. It's usually just starting to roll in, and we usually take them right up until the 24th of December," Seeman said in the interview with the Mercury.
Due to COVID-related precautions, the hamper association had to implement a hard deadline this year, and they will stop accepting applications on Dec. 5, which will allow them to safely prepare and distribute hampers.
"Because of COVID you have to follow a lot of rules and regulations, so we have to have a hard deadline. And people really need to get (applications) in on time," Seeman said.
There is no limit to the number of applications the association will accept, as long as they are submitted before the end of the day on Dec. 5.
Seeman said that this year they see a lot more families applying for hampers. They also see an increase in single older couples, who don't have kids and who probably have lost their jobs and can use some help this year.
The Angel Tree program, associated with Community Hampers has also seen a significant increase in demand for Christmas presents for children. The three trees are located at Walmart, Your Toy Store and More and Mr. Mikes Steakhouse Casual.
"It's been amazing, there's been lots of donations dropped off," said Seeman.
Encompass Fitness is doing a toy drive and is also helping the Estevan Kinettes to collect pyjamas for kids, alongside Jenny Joans and Sun Country Hearing.
Angel Trees will keep accepting donations up until Dec. 12, after which all toys will be quarantined for 72 hours and then organized for the toy store. Volunteers will also have to do some shopping with cash donations to ensure there are presents for everyone who applied.
"The older kids from 10 to 16 is who we are going to need the presents for. Everybody likes to buy for the young ones, doesn't like to buy for the older ones," Seeman said.
Once the deadlines are passed, the volunteers will proceed with getting hampers and toys ready to go. Seeman explained that this year they have a lot to keep in mind.
"We have a strict bubble of volunteers. We can only have so many volunteers. And it has to be one central location, where hampers are made and picked up. It has to be the least amount of handling of the product as possible," Seeman said.
Not only are the application and distribution processes are different this year, but even shopping for hampers will change.
"We cannot accept food donations for the hampers. So we have to purchase everything that we are giving out this year," Seeman said.
"We are fortunate that Southern Plains Co-op is going to make up the hampers for us, we are very privileged. And they will be sealed. Everything will be put in and sealed for us."
Seeman added that if people are donating any food, it will be given to the Salvation Army's food bank to quarantine and then to be used for their regular hamper program.
At the Toy Store, which once again will be organized at St. Giles Church, parents will also have a particular time when they will need to come and pick up the gifts for their children. However, this year they will have to wear gloves and a mask to come in, and they can't pick up any of the toys displayed. Seeman assumed that the Toy Store will operate for two or three days, depending on the final number of applications for toys they receive.
Pyjamas for kids of all ages collected by Estevan Kinettes will be given at the Toy Store as well.
Seeman said that the support they receive from the community and local businesses has been amazing.
"Estevan and area has always been amazing to us," said Seeman. "A big thank you to the Estevan community for supporting us."
Not only do they receive the monetary support and benefit from different fundraisers organized by business community members, but they also received personal unique donations like homemade gloves, toques and mitts to be given to community members.Â
Once hampers are ready to go, people who applied will receive phone calls. Hampers and toys will have to be picked up by appointment. Seeman added that people can apply just for gifts for kids, or just for hampers, or for both, depending on their individual needs.
"We will accept anybody that needs to apply … And we'll do as many as we get," said Seeman.
The Community Hamper Association's goal is to ensure that every child in the community has a gift under the tree Christmas morning, and every family has Christmas supper and can celebrate leaving the worries aside at least for some time.
