Santa fund aims to help feed the need in Salisbury, N.B.

A tiny figurine Santa Claus has arrived at Dan’s Damages in Salisbury, N.B., one with a big task.

“I just leave Santa out on a stool all year round and this time of year people start dropping in a little more often,” said owner Danny Killiam.

For the past five years, Killiam, along with help from his customers, has been collecting a Santa Fund and donating it to where it’s needed most.

“It’s all about giving back. Hopefully some day if I’m in that situation, somebody will help me out,” said Killiam.

In the past the funds have gone to Christmas Daddies and Salisbury Helping Hands. Last year and this year, the money was earmarked for the Salisbury Elementary School Breakfast Program.

Killiam says he started donating to the school when his granddaughter started kindergarten last year.

“There’s a lot of kids that get picked up early in the morning and kids don’t like to eat at six o’clock in the morning. When they get to school they’re hungry and it helps,” he said. “There’s a lot of families that are having a hard time that can’t afford it and it’s just nice to be able to help out.”

At Salisbury Elementary School, breakfast is served five days a week on a drop-in basis.

“Every day we serve between 45 and 60 students a nice healthy, nutritious breakfast,” said acting principal Denise Zwicker.

The program is volunteer-run and kids get a variety of options each day to ensure everyone has a good start to each day.

“Every year we have a few more students who are taking advantage of breakfast, but also we find that we have some students who are just making connections with our volunteers and they want to come in and have a friendly hello,” she said.

She says they even have a takeout option for students who arrive a little bit late and kids can eat in their classrooms if needed.

“You cannot learn if you have a hungry belly,” said Zwicker.

She says a few years ago when the breakfast program was coming out of the school budget, they spent about $600 a month on food for its first 10 months.

Today, the school receives donations through Food Depot Alimentare and from the community.

“I think the Salisbury community is wonderful. I’ve only been here for five years, but in that five years, there are so many people involved to help the school run it’s just amazing and every educator in this building, our hearts are warmed by people being so active and so involved,” she said.

By Tuesday afternoon, more than $1,100 has been raised through the Santa Fund.

Killiam says the goal is to break $2,000.

“I think if we don’t quite make the $2,000, we’ll get there. I’ll just top it up myself,” he said.

Last year he put in $700 out of his own pocket to increase the amount before donation.

Zwicker says the money will make a huge difference for the program and the students.

“We’ll be able to do all kinds of things including getting cutlery. It sounds like something simple, but cutlery goes missing,” she said. “It also allows us to do special things like a pancake day, grilled cheese day and maybe even smoothies.”

Zwicker says Killiam often donates boxes of Kleenex, pencils and other supplies.

Killiam says he started his business in 1995 out of the back of his truck as a way to provide a more affordable option for everyone.

On Thursday and Friday, he is having a clothing sale at Salisbury Regional School where people can fill a bag for $15 with $5 going back to the school.

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