Serving a hearty lunch for 30 to 50 people on donated funds is no small feat, but it is a labour of love for Major Debbie Allen of the Flin Flon Salvation Army and her team of volunteers.
On Mondays and Wednesdays from September to May, the Salvation Army hosts Soup Days at the St. Peter and St. James Anglican Church, where the door is open to anyone looking for a warm meal.
This fall, the Flin Flon Lions Club is hoping to offset some of the costs of that program as well as their Christmas Hampers program, by making an $1,800 donation to each project, for a total of $3600. As Allen met with Lions president Andy Stewart on Monday morning to accept the cheques, she noted that the funds will be particularly helpful this year, as the Salvation Army is expanding its Christmas hampers program.
In previous years, both the Flin Flon Elks Lodge and the Flin Flon Salvation Army distributed free Christmas hampers to local families. As the Elks Lodge folded last spring, the Salvation Army will be doubling its hamper program to make up for that loss. The group will be organizing registration, purchasing, and packing of 190-200 hampers, compared to 100 last year.
Allen notes that while the Elks accepted registration for hampers over the phone, the Salvation Army holds in-person registration only. “It’s better if people apply for it themselves,” she explains, noting that a face-to-face meeting gives volunteers an opportunity to see if there are other needs that the Salvation Army can help address. Volunteers can also give registrants a ride home from the office if needed, she notes.
In an interview last December, Allen noted that the Salvation Army aims to “give a hand up rather than a handout.” She cites a lost job, or a new addition to the family stretching the budget, as possible reasons to reach out for a little help over the holidays. Each hamper will contain approximately three days worth of food, including the fixings for a typical Christmas dinner.
In addition, families with children who register for a hamper can receive a voucher for the Flin Flon Friendship Centre’s Christmas gift program, through which they can choose a special gift for each child.
Allen says each hamper costs the organization approximately $50; the Flin Flon Salvation Army volunteers will be fundraising to offset these costs through their Christmas Kettles campaign, which will begin later this month.
Families who would like to register for a hamper can visit The Salvation Army office at 3 Hemlock Drive from 10 am and 3 pm Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 17 to 19 and the same days the following week, Nov. 24 to 26. The Salvation Army requests ID for every member of the family.
