HALIFAX -- For people without a place to call home, the holidays can be an especially tough time of year. With the number of homeless individuals having grown in Atlantic Canada, generosity and goodwill on behalf of organizations throughout the Maritimes is ensuring everyone has a safe and merry holiday season.

At Phoenix Learning Centre in Fredericton, raising spirits is the main focus. On Christmas Day, for the first time, the facility hosted a turkey dinner provided by Fredericton Community Kitchens.

"Christmas is always hard. We look at Christmas as being for family; this group is their family. Every day they're with us, and still, there's that emotional turmoil; so, we try to alleviate any stressors," says Phoenix Learning Centre coordinator Scott Earle. "We've had Christmas movies on this week, lots of Christmas baking and donations, we've had three days of gift-giving."

With an abundance of food, the Christmas dinner was big enough for people to have seconds. Gift bags were also prepared by a local church and handed out to those in need.

Individuals like Brandon McLean visit the Phoenix Learning Centre often. Having a place to spend time inside since the COVID-19 pandemic began is important to him.

"To stay warm and socialize with my friends, to be able to eat, and be able to have warmth and everything everyone needs to have when they're homeless," says McLean, noting what he's thankful to Phoenix Learning Centre for providing.

Earle says people should remember that homelessness lasts 12 months of the year – not just Christmastime.

Christmas support is averaging about the same across the Maritimes, according to Feed Nova Scotia.

"We made it easier for people to apply for it [support] online and over the phone," says Feed Nova Scotia executive director, Nick Jennery. "If you look at the call centres, we have five people who take those calls and connect with people requesting support; they did over 8,600 phone calls just to connect people to the food support they need."

Meanwhile, Maritime businesses, like Mary's African Cuisine, which made 100 individual African dinners to give away on Christmas Day, also provided much appreciated generous holiday gestures – sharing tidings of comfort and joy with those in need.