Travis is a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He has lived his life putting his loved ones first. With six children to take care of, when it came to dentist appointments, the kid’s health came first. This meant there wasn’t money left over for Travis’ dental care. Over the years his teeth began to have many issues, but without the money to treat his teeth, Travis suffered through it.
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Can we pass you a virtual Kleenex? When you give to Archway Food Bank, you are making a difference in the lives of people like Erica.
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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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(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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(3 minute read)
Claudia’s life has been full of challenges. At age 12 she was kicked out of her home in Mexico and lived on the streets for over a year before finding a welcoming family in a traveling circus. At the circus, Claudia did everything from selling popcorn and cleaning trailers to making costumes and juggling rings. During her time traveling with the circus she had her first son before eventually meeting a Canadian man who would become her husband.
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(2.5-Minute Read)
By Meghan Franklin
We first met Noah two years ago when her story with us at the Abbotsford Food Bank’s free dental clinic began. As you may remember, Noah had grown up being bullied about her teeth, which drastically impacted her self-esteem. She went from having a carefree childhood, to worrying about hiding her smile from everyone around her. When Noah was in middle school she struggled with severe anxiety, which made going to school, interacting with peers or teachers, and having her photo taken extremely difficult. Noah knew that the root of what was causing this was her teeth, but she did not have access to any way to change this.
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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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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:
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.
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(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.
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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.
Leading into the Christmas season, we found ourselves wondering – how is Christmas going to come together? Will there be enough? Did you have those same questions? So much needs to come together in time. Imagine having a shopping list to feed 524 families and 166 seniors!
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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.
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.
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Toys for Tots Christmas Breakfast presented by Quality Hotel, has once again, left us feeling overwhelmed with gratitude toward our community. We have been blown away by our community’s heartfelt involvement and generosity towards children in need. Together we raised a record of 1,600 toys and over $32,000 in financial support. The morning included spirited Christmas Music, a visit from Santa, delicious breakfast buffet, a festive craft corner, photo booth magic and an enchanted visit from princesses. One mother said – “I love bringing my kids to this event! The best part is letting them pick out a gift for another child. It’s great way to kick off the season. The princesses were a big hit in our family too.”- Sarah
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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.
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Heading 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.
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Sadly, 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.
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Meet Noah—a beautiful, talented, 14-year-old girl. For most youth her age, this is an exciting, care-free time. Her narrative, however, is quite different.
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