CHRISTMAS PROJECT REPORT 2025

It is a far cry from the 'good old pre-Covid days' when ACRA members would be out in December weather collecting baskets from schools and subsequently helping to manhandle hundreds of ledened boxes onto trucks for deliveryto homes in The Point. The Christmas Baskets are now food vouchers with recipients given scheduled times for their pick-up.

More than three hundred were scheduled over a few days. Recipients are well received by volunteers who guide them throught the process of checking registration and selecting toys for gifts if eligible.There is also a section of donated clothing and other items from which they can choose as needed. 'Coffee and cake' is also available, and this year, as the recipients exited, there was another volunteer distributing frozen turkeys, provided by Purolator employees.

Sister Dianna, as always, is adamant that the needy of the area are afforded a good Christmas dinner and more, and this is the reason for the traditional generous 'Christmas Baskets,' honorably provided.

ACRA Christmas donations this year totaled $7800 which together with the substantial proceeds from the annual Golf Tournament go a long way in support of the Christmas Baskets and especially the year-long Food Bank, another well-organized effort.

Dear Members of ACRA,

Good News! Isn't it wonderful to know we are beginning a New Year aftr having lived through months of news of our broken and messy world.

Thanks to your generous, thoughtful ACRA members, together as a team, we were able to assist 380 families, seniors, individuals and some of our homeless sisters and brothers. The majority received a grocery gift card, some a basket prepared by schools - Selwyn House, College Brebeuf, and Ecole Bilingue Notre Dame de Sion. Some of our parishes also gave us gift cards or a generouscheque. The Gazette cheque this year was only $90.00 due to lack of donations, so our Food Bankspplemented the 68 cheques with an added $35.00 in cash, plus a $25 grocery gift card which brought the amount to $150.00. Some of the cheque recipients had 3-4 children and with the price of food, you, yourself would know how far $90.00 goes. One thoughtful donor covered the $35.00 added to each 68 cheqiues. Anither big boost from a person living in the point was a turkey donation for reach household (380) if they wanted one as some are vegetarians. How very grateful I am that we are blessed with your donation as well asothers that came our way.

All our recipients were notified by phone when to come and pick up their gift card, and at the same time, they could choose toys that were donated for their children and winter clothes as well as snow suits and other items, given by a couple who are very generous donors. We even had some new articles for adults. Thanks to our volunteers who did a tremendous job of making the whole operation run smoothly.

It always amazes me how each month we have a good supply of food to provide 160-180 households. The gratitude shown by many with a big smile, along with a thank you is sotouching. I remind them that all this food is because of our kind-heartreddonors.

May your blessings in the new year be many, bringing good health to yourbody, peace to your home and joy throughout the days to come.

Let us also remember our poor.

Gratefully,

Sister Dianna Lieffers, nds

Lord God,
You came to give honour to the least
Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries
Help us to be your voice speaking out love aand acceptance
Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need.
Help us to be your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them
You came for the least, the lost and the last of this world
Lord, hear our prayer