The members or a little east Maple Ridge church are making sure seniors in need in their community won't be without this Christmas.
This year members of Holy Spirit Anglican Church will be giving hampers to 25 seniors in their east Maple Ridge community.
One of those members, Mary Blackstock, noted that for a number of years they would give out four hampers at Christmas – to two families and to two seniors.
Then during the COVID-19 pandemic they received a large New Horizons grant, a federal program supporting community-based projects supporting seniors, and put together 100 hampers for 100 seniors in the community.
For the past two years they have gone back to giving out four hampers again.
However, this year the group received a bequest of $70,000 from a Thornhill resident who wanted to support the church's activities.
Most of the money, Blackstock said, was put into a trust fund, but they kept $5,000 for this project specifically.
So, 25 seniors in need, as identified by Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Community Services, will be receiving gift bags containing a $200 gift certificate to Save-On-Foods, a box of cookies, and a Christmas card.
They are planning to hand out the gift bags next week, from Dec. 16-20.
