Christmas

November 6, 2024

Christmas Needs You

The Christmas holiday is mixed with so many emotions. Seeing the joy on a child’s face as they experience the excitement of unwrapping a gift with their name on it. If only life could be so simple, and everyone had the ability to provide this experience for their children. So many are struggling to put food on the table that giving a new gift at Christmas has become more out of reach than ever. Thankfully, with the help of our community, there is an opportunity to fill in gaps for those who are struggling, especially over the holidays.

 

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November 16, 2023

Christmas Neighbours Needed

A program of our Food Bank is searching for individuals and organizations to help make Christmas a little brighter for hundreds of families and seniors in Abbotsford.

 

The Archway Christmas Neighbour program matches families and seniors with a Christmas Neighbour who delivers Christmas gifts and food supplies directly to them.

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November 13, 2023

Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast on November 26th to Collect Gifts

The 11th annual Archway Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast event presented by the Clarion Hotel will be held Sunday, November 26th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The event collects toys and donations for the Christmas Bureau program of the Archway Food Bank.

 

Community members who bring gifts or donations can enjoy a free buffet breakfast along with live entertainment at the drop-in event at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Centre.

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Connecting during Christmas
January 7, 2021

Connecting During a COVID Christmas

by Tracy Rahn (Christmas Bureau Coordinator) and Rebecca Thuro

If there is one thing that connects us all as human beings, it’s the deep desire to be seen. To be known. To feel that we belong. It is, in the simplest terms, the need for connection – this has been especially highlighted in a year where isolation is necessary. I (Tracy Rahn) experienced some of the most profound moments of connection, of empathy and understanding at this year’s Christmas Bureau. I found it peeking out from behind masked faces, passing sets of eyes that we sometimes may not even recognize as our neighbour or old acquaintance.

 

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December 10, 2020

Tammy’s Story

by Lucas Driediger

I was first introduced to Tammy earlier this Fall. Although she had used the Food Bank off and on in the past, the pandemic and changed things. With some newly diagnosed health issues, contracting any new sickness has created new challenges.

Thankfully, the combination of her positive attitude, strong demeanor, and community support have helped her get by in this time.

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January 30, 2020

Reflecting on December

by Rebecca Thuro
(3 minute read)

Every year we enter the Christmas season with some loose ends that need a touch of the miraculous. This year we needed a building to host the Christmas Bureau toy room and a way to raise $1.2 million by December 31st. Feeding 3,300 people doesn’t get easier at Christmas. It requires even more engagement from our community. And that is just what we found.

 

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November 13, 2019

Christmas Bureau is Here to Help

by Candace Stock
(3 minute read)

It’s that time of year – wreathes and lights are going up, presents are being bought, families are planning their gatherings. Unfortunately for some, this time of year can be filled with fear of survival of the holiday. When the stress of being able to put food on the table already exists, gifts under the tree seem out of reach. Thankfully, with the help of our community, we are able to change that for many families.

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January 15, 2019

2018 Christmas Wrap Up

Wow, another successful year! We define success, in large part, by the stories of gratitude that have been shared with us by both those who have been helped and those who have been able to extend help this Christmas. And guess what, we have SO MANY STORIES this year. Each year we face different challenges to make the Abbotsford Christmas Bureau a reality. This year was no different, from the loss of a distribution location to medical emergencies – the start of this season was a little shaky.

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December 5, 2018

Help Make this Christmas Memorable

Christmas is a season full of hope, joy and wonder. It represents time spent with family, friends and the opportunity to spoil those we love the most. But for many in our community, it can also be difficult – especially if you have trouble putting food on the table. Thankfully, a gift to the Abbotsford Food Bank & Christmas Bureau can change that.

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November 27, 2018

Record Breaking Year

(7 min read)
By Rebecca Thuro

The magical feeling of Christmas was tangible during the 2018 Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast. As the event organizer, each year during the planning process I have the little voice that says “what if there isn’t enough this year”. I’d imagine this is the question many hold in their hearts as they enter the holiday season. For families that use the Christmas Bureau not having enough isn’t just a fear, it’s a reality. Thankfully, I am so happy to announce that because of the big heartedness of our community we will once again be able to fully support each family that needs to turn to the Christmas Bureau.

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October 24, 2018

Abby Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast 2018

(2-Minute Read) By Meghan Franklin

Our 6th Annual Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast is just around the corner, and we can’t wait! We have been excitedly preparing and planning for Friday, November 23rd. If you have never attended one of these events, you are in for a treat! Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast is a fun family friendly event that kicks off the Christmas season. Join us anytime from 6:00 am to 9:30 am at the Quality Hotel for a delicious hot breakfast, crafts, photo booth, a visit with Santa, live Christmas carols and local entertainment brought to us by Sevenoaks Shopping Centre. Everyone is invited to participate. All we ask is that you bring a new toy for any age or a monetary donation to the event to benefit the Abbotsford Christmas Bureau and Food Bank.

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Christmas Bureau 2017 Wrap up
January 17, 2018

Christmas Bureau 2017 Results

Another Christmas is wrapped up and we wanted to say thank you to all who helped make this year another success! Whether you gave in time, money, service or all the above, it made a difference and we are so thankful. We know that many of you do not give out of excess, but rather make sacrifices in order to make giving to the Christmas Bureau possible and we admire that so much. Watching the community surround us once again is an amazing experience. We are so grateful to be able to witness our community show such love to the families who come to us for help.

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December 22, 2017

Our Favourite Stories

Updated: December 22, 2017

Every once in a while, we need to take a step back and remind ourselves of the good that is happening right under our noses. While the names have been changed to protect our guests, the stories are real. Real families, and real experiences. Their lives may be difficult, but they are made a lot better by our amazing community.
Here are a few of our favourite stories:

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