Under the honorary presidency of the new mayor of Deux-Montagnes, Denis Martin, the 2013 Christmas hamper campaign is set to begin on Sunday, November 24, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Volunteers from all walks of life will be knocking on doors, collecting donations and non-perishable food items for Christmas hampers.
“The City of Deux-Montagnes is known for its strong sense of community,” said Mayor Denis Martin. “To live up to this reputation, we must continue to be generous and to ensure that local families who are going through a difficult time enjoy the holiday season.”
The coordinator of the event, André Ouellet, strongly urges citizens to donate a few hours of their time and energy on November 24. Your efforts can make all the difference for local families.
Dépannage Saint-Agapit, the organization in charge of the Christmas hampers, would like to thank its generous partners for their support in the fight against local hunger. These partners include the deputy of Deux-Montagnes, Daniel Goyer, the marché IGA Sénécal et filles, whose continued cooperation is a time-honoured tradition, the City of Deux-Montagnes, the Caisse Desjardins Saint-Eustache-Deux-Montagnes, Women’s Time Out, the Deux-Montagnes Lions Club, the local Scouts and Guides, Sears Canada as well as numerous citizens and organizations that can be found on the following website: www.depannage-st-agapit.org .
Continuing their tradition of community involvement, the Deux-Montagnes / Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac Fire Department has enthusiastically agreed to set up roadblocks to help collect donations. The library, the Department of Recreation and other municipal departments are also doing their part. As usual, elementary and high school students will also participate in the collection of food and toys. Toy donations will be accepted during the Santa Claus Parade on Sunday, December 4.
In an effort to be environmentally friendly, those who can are asked to donate reusable bags for the collection of food items and to be used as Christmas hampers. It is important to note that volunteers will be knocking on doors only on November 24 between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and that these volunteers will have been properly identified.
People who cannot be home on November 24 can bring their donations to the Deux-Montagnes Public Library as well as to any of the city’s churches. Those who wish to volunteer for the food drive, whether alone or as a group, are asked to come to the basement of the Holy Family Church at 12:30 p.m. on November 24, 2013.
Last year, 225 Christmas hampers were distributed to 289 adults and 205 children. In addition, nearly 475 interventions were carried out during the year. Over the past year,Dépannage Saint-Agapit has distributed $85,600 throughout the city.
You must be registered in order to receive a Christmas hamper. Registration can be done in person at the Citizens House, located at 202 rue Henri-Dunant (in the basement of the library), from December 2-5 and December 9-12 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., as well as December 6 and 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. To be eligible, individuals must show proof of residency as well as documentation to support their application, such as an income security or employment insurance statement stub and, for children, a health insurance card. Hampers will be distributed the morning of Saturday, December 22, in the basement of the Holy Family Church.
For more information, contact André Ouellet at 450-473-7450.
