ABOUT THE HOLIDAY HAMPER PROGRAM
Brightening the Season for Edmonton Families in Need
The Holiday Hamper Program brings our community together to support Edmonton families experiencing food insecurity. Community members become Holiday Hamper Elves, adopting local families and shopping for the food they need. Using our grocery list, Elves fill hampers with essential groceries, while the Holiday Hamper Program provides turkey or fish and additional locally donated items. It all comes together on Delivery Day, when Elves deliver the hampers directly to the families they’ve adopted.
Watch our short video to hear heartwarming stories from principals, teachers, and social workers about the impact the program has on children and families in the schools we support.
It takes a community to make this program happen. With the support of Edmonton residents, local businesses, community partners, and JCI Edmonton, we’re working toward supporting more than 2,200 families this year and helping put food on tables across our city.
How the Program Works
Every year, our amazing team of volunteers comes together to make the Holiday Hamper Program happen. We partner with with Edmonton's Public and Catholic Schools, along with our friends at Santas Anonymous and the Christmas Bureau, to source local families facing food insecurity and who could use a little extra joy during the holidays. Families are chosen based on need, regardless of whether they celebrate Christmas or any other tradition.
Once we've got our list (checked twice, of course!), we invite our wonderful community members to become Holiday Hamper Elves. As an Elf, you 'adopt' a family in need and spread some holiday magic! The best part? You get to hand-deliver your hamper to the family you've adopted, creating a personal connection and heartwarming moments.
In early December, we match our Holiday Hamper Elves with their adopted families. That's when the shopping begins! You follow our carefully curated grocery list, ensuring each family receives consistent, healthy items. Through year-round fundraising, we provide the turkeys, fish, and roasting pans, while you purchase the remaining essentials for a complete holiday meal.
Then, on the Saturday before Christmas, all our Elves gather at the Edmonton Expo Centre for the big day – receiving their family information and setting out to hand-deliver joy across the city.
Over 20 Years of
Special Memories
In 2004, an Edmonton teacher and JCI Edmonton member brought the idea of the Holiday Hamper Program to JCI Edmonton. In her role as a social worker with the school, she saw firsthand how her students and their families struggled throughout the year, especially through the holiday season. She wanted to make their seasons a little brighter by providing the families with healthy meals and making sure children had something special to look forward to. She saw a need for a program that could bring joy to kids and their families, and an annual tradition was born!
Since then, the Holiday Hamper Program has grown exponentially and has become a cornerstone of Edmonton's philanthropic community. The program started with one school and 13 families. Last year, with 77 partner schools, we helped provide Christmas meals and gifts to over 2,200 families in Edmonton.
Our Founders
JCI Edmonton is the Holiday Hamper Program's founding organization. JCI stands for Junior Chamber International – a global group of young leaders dedicated to creating positive change in themselves and their communities.
The Edmonton chapter of JCI has been making a difference since 1929 and has helped create many important community programs, including Junior Achievement and Boots on the Ground.
Our Sponsors
