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.

Read More

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.

Read More
Christmas Bureau 2017 Wrap up

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.

Read More

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:

Read More

Best Toys for Tots Breakfast Yet!

 

The magical feeling of Christmas was hard to deny at this year’s Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast presented by Quality Hotel.
The sense of a supportive community was tangible. Today, we are overwhelmed with gratitude toward our community and the heartfelt involvement and generosity towards children in need. Special thanks to the donor who came forward to match every donation at the event!

Read More

Abby Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast 2017

Toys For Tots Christmas Breakfast is a fun family event that kicks off the Christmas season with the true spirit of the season – giving to children in need.  On November 24th from 6 am – 9:30 am the community is invited to bring a new toy for any age or a monetary donation to the event. Stay for a delicious hot breakfast, craft, photo booth, a visit with Santa, live Christmas carols and local entertainment.

Read More

Summer Wrap Up

Here’s the inside scoop on our latest summer students experiences. Every summer we welcome local university students to experience life at the Abbotsford Food Bank through a government subsidy program. This year we had the pleasure of welcoming two summer students into our office. We had a great time getting to know them and were blessed by the energy they brought to the team and are excited to introduce you to them. Read more to find out how their expectations were met! Meet Lucas and Corinna.

Read More

Meet Positive Living

(3-minute read)
By Rebecca Thuro

To start the satellite series off right, we are happy to introduce you to Chris. He oversees the Food Bank Satellite at Positive Living. Their programming serves over 200 people with HIV, Viral Hepatitis, TB and Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Infections. They also have programs for the street entrenched population. Chris has the unique experience of being both a graduate of positive living and knowing the struggles faced by those juggling their sickness and living on a government disability cheque very personally.

Read More

Connecting Family Through Satellites

(4 Minute Read)
By Rebecca Thuro

The question often gets asked: how does someone end up at the Archway Food Bank? Well, it’s not necessarily a straight forward answer. One thing we know for sure, is that everyone deserves access to food, and the ability to feed their family. Our work begins with trying to reduce the barriers that might get in the way.

Read More

Hope Shared at Christmas

Now that we are officially on the other side of the Holiday whirlwind, we find ourselves reflecting on and savoring each and every story that was graciously shared with us. The theme through the stories, it seems, is one of overwhelming gratitude and hope from both the giver and receiver. As an organization, we are so thankful to get this type of feedback. We are honoured to be able to see and hear how our neighbours came together to take care of those who are struggling—especially through the Christmas season.

 

Read More
You are the Key

Christmas 2016 Hours

We are so thankful for the wonderful support of our community. You are the key to making a difference in Abbotsford.  We have extended our hours into most of the Saturdays of December for your donating convenience – 10AM-2PM. December and January are full of Statutory Holidays, please note the image below for all holiday hours.

Read More

Stories from the Change Makers

Did you know that if you live in Abbotsford, you are living in a place that is considered one of the most generous communities in Canada? We can certainly testify to the fact that our community rallies around those in need and has the heart to see lives changed.

We would like to introduce you to some of the friendly faces of Abbotsford. They are your neighbours who know the joy of giving in Abbotsford.

Read More

Ways to Help This Christmas

 

Christmas preparations are now in high gear here at the Abbotsford Food Bank and Christmas Bureau, and have been for many months. If Santa’s Workshop were a real place, we’d imagine it to look a lot like this. Gifts are flooding our doors, shelves are being stocked, and there’s a level of nervous excitement that doesn’t come around any other time of the year.

Read More

Back to School

back2school-in-backapckHeading back to school can be a total mix of emotions.

Do you remember heading back to school as a kid?  Do you remember the total mix of emotions that came with it? I certainly do. I remember the anticipation of attending a new class, the excitement of seeing school friends again, and the pride in showing off my first day of school outfit. I even remember the forgotten smell of the early morning air during the crisp walk to school. And while my family didn’t necessarily have the best of everything, I always knew that I was taken care of and that my lunch box was full.

Read More

Everest – A Journey in Relationship

Community begins with relationships.

everst-circle2Sadly, many people that pass through our doors find themselves unable to rise above their circumstances largely due to the fact that they don’t have the relationships and connections to help bring them there.

Recently we started a pilot project called ‘Everest’ which aim’s at this exact disparity.

Read More