Every year, our donors support Westcoast Family Centres clients by providing hampers full of essential gifts for children and parents. This year, Westcoast counsellors and support workers nominated 117 families to receive a hamper full of gifts, food, clothing, and gift cards. This was one of our highest years on record for nominations!
86 sponsors shopped, wrapped, and donated Holiday Hampers for Westcoast Families. 58 of these donors included some very incredible individuals and families, and 28 teams and organizations used our program as a team building exercise. We are so grateful for all of our sponsors!
In total, we were able to support over 400 individuals in the community, including children, parents and caregivers with items that supported their health, hygiene and overall well-being.
There are three ways to get involved:
Sponsor a Family
Purchase, wrap, and drop off a gift hamper for a local family in need.
All families are unique and special. Westcoast families are often low-income, high-risk and in need of extra support for growth – you will be sponsoring a family who is working with us to reach their full potential.
From hygiene products to toys, to a new winter jacket – no matter the size of your contribution, your donation will help make this holiday season special for a WFC family in need. Please see below for the link to sponsor a family and make a world of difference!
Shop our Amazon Wishlist
Simply select an item, purchase it, and it’ll ship straight over to Westcoast to be distributed to families.
In order to make our Amazon wishlist more accessible and easier to contribute to than ever – we have added a variety of frequently requested items such as gift cards, appliances, bikes, board games, books and much more at different price points so no matter your budget, you can brighten a holiday!
Folks may need these items because they’ve just moved to Canada and can’t afford to furnish it; they want to find ways to keep their kids active and entertained; or they’ve experienced serious hardship and trauma and could use a way to make their lives a bit easier.
Tax receipts are only available for cash donations.
Donate a Cash Gift
Donate the funds and leave the shopping to us!
Donations are accepted year-round and will be used to directly support Westcoast families during the holiday season. Westcoast staff and volunteers will use these funds to purchase hampers for any families that weren’t sponsored by the community.
Tax receipts will be distributed automatically for all fund donations received.
Where Does Your Support Go?
Our families receive family-centered services that focus on strengthening the family as a whole while keeping the well-being of the child at the center of everything we do. Westcoast’s services include counseling, supervised parenting, preservation and reunification services, and more.
Featured in The Province
Our Holiday Hamper program and one of our longstanding sponsors of the program, TuGo, were featured in The Province! We are thankful to The Province for this recognition of our organization and the wonderful acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication our team puts in year after year to make this program a success.
Thank You to The Province’s Empty Stocking Fund!
TuGo travel insurance company in Richmond has been making hampers for Westcoast Family Centres since 2002. To read the full article, please visit:
Testimonials
To the family who helped us over the holidays — words cannot describe how grateful I am for your kindness and support. You made my family’s Christmas one of the best yet. My kids woke up completely surprised, and the look of joy on their faces while opening the gifts was unforgettable. I wish I had the chance to thank you in person. You made such a huge impact on us this year. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are so grateful.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you so much for your generosity! This was my baby’s first Christmas. Last year, we spent Christmas in the hospital, and now, after finally securing housing, this holiday felt so special. All the gifts were amazing. Thank you again.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you so much. My family is beyond grateful for the thoughtful gifts. We received so much more than expected — things we both needed and wanted. I wish I could hug you all. The joy you brought to me and my family is something I hope to pass on to others in the coming years.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
The hamper meant so much to us. The care put into the gifts truly showed, and my kids absolutely loved everything. Seeing their excitement and smiles meant the world to me. I cannot thank the donor enough, especially for the gifts for my parents. My dad, who has Alzheimer’s and a lung tumour, was overjoyed with the outdoor chair. Seeing him smile like that is something I haven’t witnessed in years. As a single mom of four children, three with special needs, your kindness made our Christmas meaningful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you so much for making our request come true. We loved our matching pajamas and wore them on Christmas Day for family photos. It made the moment extra special.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
We are so thankful. We felt so much love and care from all the gifts — even the ones for my baby on the way. I teared up opening the baby clothes and diapers. I had been struggling to enjoy this pregnancy and often felt like no one cared about my second child. Thank you for including our baby. The kids loved their toys, and your generosity made our Christmas brighter and so special. We truly appreciate it.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you for your generous gifts. Without your kindness and support, Christmas would have felt very empty. Your help made me feel less guilty about not having the money for gifts, and it made the kids so happy. They were excited to open their presents, play with their toys, and use their new boots. Thank you again — we truly appreciate your kindness.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making my son’s first Christmas so special. Being a single parent isn’t easy, and times can be tough, but people like you make moments like this possible. Thank you again for everything, and merry Christmas from my little family to yours.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
Thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas gifts for our family. We are truly grateful and honored to have received a hamper. Your generosity brought so much joy into our home. The kids were delighted, and their excitement was priceless. Your kindness and thoughtfulness made our Christmas incredibly special and one we will always remember. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for spreading such warmth and love. May you and your family be blessed for the kindness you have shared with ours.
Holiday Hamper Recipient
We appreciate the hampers because it helped us so much. Since living in Canada, we’ve never received such generous Christmas gifts and gift cards for food. The children so excited and almost couldn’t wait until Christmas Eve to open their gifts. Mom is shopping to make Christmas dinner using the gift cards given to her from the hampers. A big thank you to the sponsor!
Family
Holiday Hamper Champions
We would like to extend our gratitude to all individuals and organizations for supporting WFC families during the holiday season.
Thank you to our Holiday Helpers of 2025!
Last year, we had more than 86 Holiday Helpers that directly shopped, wrapped, and donated over 117 Holiday Hampers this season! Check out some of the organizations that supported us below:
