Print

E-mail

Text

Charity, they say, begins at home and that is never more true than at this time of year.

There is a large of number of organizations in Scarborough that do good work and help those in need every day of the year. The reality, however, is that it is over the holiday season when most people truly start thinking about goodwill and charity toward others.

The thought of any child having to go without a toy, or a family without a Christmas dinner, spurs many residents to make donations to food banks or toy drives. Food banks in particular rely on the generosity of others during the holidays to help them through the bleak months of January and February. The need exists year-round, but most of the giving takes place around the holidays.

We're not trying to single out specific organizations as being more deserving of donations than others this month, but there are a few that are certainly in need of help.

The Churches by the Bluffs Food Bank, for example, is facing serious shortages in its meal program.

Located in the basement of Birchcliff Bluffs United Church, the food bank receives much of its food from items donated to Daily Bread or Second Harvest - food that is then distributed to food banks around the city. The meal program, however, is run on a much more grassroots level and is totally dependent on local donations.

And that's an area where southwest Scarborough residents specifically can help out. Tuna fish, eggs, ham and bread are desperately needed by this meal program. Bluffs Food Bank co-ordinator Gail Barkic told The Mirror last week that monetary donations would make a huge difference as well.

"People say, "My $25 won't help.' It will help," she said. Barkic said a $25 donation would buy half the eggs the meal program needs for a week; $50 would buy the tuna fish, and $100 would supply bread and ham. That's a very real and visible return on investment.

North Scarborough residents could be equally generous to Agincourt Community Services, which runs its own daily drop-in meal program on a "shoestring" budget.

And in east Scarborough, West Hill Community Services will also welcome donations of money and food.

To make donating toys easy this holiday season, all three of Scarborough's police divisions are collecting toys at their stations until Dec. 12. Those toys will be distributed locally by police the next day.

Donations to this drive can be made this Saturday at Wal-Mart, 1900 Eglinton Ave. E., between noon at 3 p.m. or any time at 41 Division (2222 Eglinton Ave. E.), 42 Division (242 Milner Ave.) or 43 Division (4331 Lawrence Ave. E.).

Cheques to help out the Churches by the Bluffs Food Bank can be sent to 33 East Rd., Scarborough, ON, M1N 1Z9. Agincourt Community Services is at 4155 Sheppard Ave. E., Suite 100, Scarborough, ON, M1S 1T4. West Hill Community Services is located at 3545 Kingston Rd., Scarborough, ON, M1M 1R6.