What Your Kindness Meant: Families Share Their Holiday Hamper Experiences

Every year, our community comes together in a remarkable display of compassion during our Holiday Hamper campaign. Through the overwhelming generosity of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers, more families than ever experienced a holiday filled with warmth, dignity, and hope.

This year’s Holiday Hamper Campaign touched lives in deeply meaningful ways. The messages we received from families were filled with gratitude, joy, and often tears — reminders of just how powerful our community can be.

Families shared stories of children waking up to gifts they never expected, parents expressed relief and renewed hope during challenging times, another shared the indescribable joy of seeing a loved one with health challenges smile for the first time in years and others spoke of how the gifts helped make a baby’s first Christmas special or brought comfort during a difficult pregnancy.

Below are just some of the full, anonymized testimonials we received — shared with permission — from families who wanted you to know just how much your kindness meant to them.

Messages of Gratitude from Families

1.
“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, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are so grateful.”

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2.
“Thank you so much for your generosity! This was my baby’s first Christmas. At the end of September 2024, I found out I was 30 weeks pregnant — what a surprise. I gave birth early six weeks later, on December 18, and we spent last Christmas in the hospital. Fast forward to September 2025, we finally got housing, and the rest, I hope, is history. All the gifts were wonderful. Thank you again.”

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3.
“Thank you so much. My family is beyond grateful for the wonderful and thoughtful gifts. We received far more than expected, including 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 create for others in the coming years.”

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4.
“The hamper meant so much to us. The thought put into the gifts really showed, and my kids absolutely loved everything. Seeing their excitement and the smiles on their faces meant the world to me. I cannot thank the donor enough — especially for the gifts for my mom, who loved hers — and most of all for the gift for my dad. He has Alzheimer’s and a tumour on his lung, and his favourite thing to do is sit outside all day. The outdoor chair with a cover and cup holder meant the world to me. Seeing his huge smile is something I haven’t seen in years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. As a single mom of four kids, three with special needs, it means the absolute world to me that people care enough to help others who are struggling. The thought you put into these gifts shows that care. You made our Christmas meaningful, and I hope only good things come your way in 2026.”

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5.
“Thank you so much for making our request come true. We loved our pajamas — we all wore them on Christmas Day and took family photos together. I really wanted holiday photos with my daughters, and it was extra special that we all had matching pajamas.”

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6.
“We are so thankful. We felt so much care and love from all the gifts — even the ones for my baby in my tummy. I teared up opening the baby clothes and diapers. I had been having a hard time enjoying my pregnancy and sometimes felt like no one cared about my second baby. Thank you so much for including baby number two. We enjoyed opening the gifts so much, and the kids loved playing with their toys. Thank you for the incredibly generous gifts and all the love and care you put into them. You made our Christmas brighter and so special. We really appreciate it. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well.”

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7.
“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 money, and it made the kids happy. They were so excited to open their gifts and play with their toys and use their new boots. Thank you again. We truly appreciate your support and kindness.”

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8.
“I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making my son’s first Christmas so special. Things haven’t been easy being a single parent, and times can get tough, but it’s because of people like you that my son was able to have an amazing first Christmas. Thank you again for everything. Merry Christmas from my little family to yours.”

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9.
“Thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas gift to our family. We are truly grateful and deeply honoured to have been selected to receive a Christmas hamper. Your generosity brought so much joy into our home. The kids were absolutely delighted, and seeing their bright smiles and excitement was priceless. Those moments meant more to us than words can express. Your kindness, thoughtfulness, and care 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.”

To Our Sponsors: Thank You for Making This Possible

None of this could have happened without our committed sponsors and donors. Your generosity made sure families who were struggling felt supported, cared for, and valued.

From thoughtful gifts to warm clothes, toys, household essentials, and special items chosen with care — every contribution made a difference.

From all of us at Westcoast Family Centres:
Thank you for spreading warmth, dignity, and love throughout our community.

Want to Be Part of Next Year’s Magic?

If you’re inspired by these stories and want to help create more moments like these, we would love to have you join us for the next Holiday Hampers Campaign.

Learn how you can get involved as a donor, sponsor, or volunteer here:
https://westcoastfamily.org/get-involved/holiday-hampers/

Together, we can continue to brighten holidays, uplift families, and build a community rooted in compassion.