During the holiday season, many of Prince Edward County’s charitable initiatives launch special campaigns to support residents in need. This post is meant to help inform both parents seeking support to make their children’s holidays extra special, as well as those looking for local giving opportunities.

The annual Christmas Angel Tree Program, run in partnership with the Children’s Foundation (the charitable arm of the Highland Shores Children’s Aid Society), delivers donations of food, clothing, and toys to local families in need. You can find registration forms on the Foundation’s website and in person at several locations. Donors pick an “Angel” off the Christmas tree at the program’s office (56 King Street, Picton – open from 10-3 on weekdays) and purchase a gift for a specific child. Gifts and financial donations can be delivered to the office or to the Children’s Aid Society office (16 MacSteven Drive, Picton). Update Dec 10th – there are still many Angels on the tree, and applications are still coming in! Donations will be accepted until December 13th, and delivered on December 19th.

The annual Breakfast with Santa event at Rednersville-Albury United Church benefiting the Storehouse Food Bank will take place on Saturday, December 14th from 9-11. $15 minimum donation in exchange for a fun morning including photos and fireside chat with Santa, take-home craft, and pancake breakfast. Non-perishable food donations are also welcomed. To make a reservation, send an email to mrkringle@outlook.com.

Raising a Village Quinte is accepting applications (children aged 0-16 years) for its Merry & Bright Holiday Gift Campaign until December 2nd, 2019. In-kind donations of new toys, games, art supplies, books, and clothes can be dropped off at the wonderfully kid-friendly Picton cafe Beacon Bike + Brew any time during business hours or during their Chrismukkah event from 11-4 on Sunday, December 1st from 11-4. Stop in before or after the parade to enjoy holiday crafting, live music, and treats! Update Dec 10th – this campaign is over, but Raising A Village accepts financial donations or used items on an ongoing basis and also has a pay-it-forward Facebook group to help County residents give and receive in-kind donations of kids’ items.

Throughout the month of December, the Prince Edward County T-shirt Company is accepting the following in-kind donations on behalf of the Recreation Outreach Centre (ROC) – toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, windex, Lysol wipes, dish soap, and hand soap.

During the annual Feed the Meter campaign, all of the money collected in parking meters in Picton, Belleville, and Trenton will support Food for Learning’s student nutrition programs in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. 

The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation’s Donation Catalogue outlines the products (from grocery gift cards and lunch bags to healthy meals) different donation sizes can cover for County youth. 

Keep Kids Warm’s “Adopt-A-Child” program, an initiative of local police services and the Quinte Broadcasting Company, assists low-income working families and those on assistance with new winter outerwear. The application period for receiving outerwear is closed for this year, but they are still accepting financial donations through the website.

The Prince Edward County Festival of Trees, an annual fundraiser for the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, will take place from November 29 – December 1st, 2019 at Isaiah Tubbs Resort. Kid-related bonuses – sweet treats for sale, as well as Santa visits on Saturday (11:30-4) and Sunday (10-1)!

At Picton’s Metro Grocery store, you can “Gift a Meal” to community members in need. Simply add a pre-packed bag of food ($5, $10 or $15 options) to your cart, pay for it at check out, and place it in the bin.

Wellington’s Storehouse Foodbank is currently running a Christmas Angel campaign. To learn about how to sponsor a local child, please contact Linda at 613-849-7403 or 613-399-1450. They also accept donations of specific items on an ongoing basis; visit this link for accepted items and donation locations. 

Volunteer & Information Centre Quinte is accepting donations of clean artificial trees in good condition, tree skirts, and tree toppers for its annual Christmas Tree Drive, which benefits local families. It is accepting donations at its office (199 Front Street, Suite 121, Belleville) until December 16th.

Kindly notify me of any other holiday or year-round giving or receiving opportunities for families and kids in the area at andrea@pecparents.ca. Thank you!