A group of Cape Bretoners have joined forces to ensure hundreds of families have a holiday meal.
They call themselves the Christmas Crew. Led by Glace Bay High School teacher John White, the group of family and friends deliver food hampers to families in need during the holiday season.
“The Christmas Crew started off as a family tradition. My wife and I, we used to just pick up some groceries and drop them off to a family that could use the help at that time of year,” says White.
Family friend Troy White convinced John to think bigger.
“Troy kept saying, ‘well Johnny, jeez…this is a good thing, why don't you try to turn it into something big.’ He said ‘I'll give you money, you go buy a grocery order for me.’ I said ‘no troy, I'll go with you and pick up the groceries and you drop em off’ and that kinda developed from there,” says White.
White’s daughter Robyn has been involved with the food campaign since it began in 2011.
“The first year was really crazy, it was really hectic. We were just trying to get started. We were hoping for maybe 25 orders and we ended up delivering 52. So we're really happy with the progress we've made since then and it's just been really amazing to see the community come together to join in this,” says Robyn.
Last year, the Christmas Crew delivered more than 200 food hampers, valued at $50 each. This year, they expect to deliver even more.
They'll use cash donations collected throughout the year to go shopping for groceries this weekend.
The Christmas Crew will make use of an empty classroom at Glace Bay high this weekend, as about 100 volunteers, sort and bag groceries in preparation for Sunday's deliveries.
The Glace Bay food bank will help to connect the group anonymously to those in need
“We give him a list of addresses, no names, and he'll pick from those addresses and his crew will take the orders and deliver them to the homes,” says food bank coordinator Patricia Hurley. “I think it’s wonderful. It’s an extra helping hand to anyone that receives this hamper form the Christmas Crew.”
White says the group is happy to have an opportunity to make the holidays a littler merrier for some Maritime families.
“The message we're trying to send is that the community is there, we'll help,” says White. “We know we're only putting groceries in the house one day a year really and it's groceries for a week, maybe. I know we're not doing anything great that way. I've been saying lately it's almost selfish, because it makes us feel good.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Sarah Ritchie.
