The east end’s two community resource centres are appealing to area residents to help make up for the loss in third-party fundraising efforts canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In years past, the Orléans Cumberland Community Resource Centre (OCCRC) and the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre (EORC) have been the beneficiaries of a number of holiday events including the Lions Magical Village and the Orléans Christmas Choirfest, both of which have been canceled this year. The Navan Christmas Craft Show and the National Capital Artisans Traditions Christmas Craft Show, which traditionally collect food and monetary donations for the resource centres in lieu of admission, have also been canceled.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the re-source centres with a double whammy. It has driven up demand, while limiting fundraising efforts, making it that much more important for contributions from the general public.
The OCCRC has several ways in which residents and local businesses can help make the holiday season a little brighter for area families experiencing financial hardship.
The first way is to sponsor a family. When you register to sponsor a family, you can choose the size of the family based on how much you’re able to donate. Sponsoring a family of two requires a $170 donation. A family of three requires a $180 donation and so on. You also have an option of providing each child in the family with one or more gift cards.
The second way to help families in need is the Angel Tree program enables individuals, families and businesses to donate to the resource centre which in turn uses the funds to purchase gift cards for families in need so the parents can use them to purchase gifts for their families.
The EORC which serves the portion of Orléans west of Queenswood Heights including the communities of Avalon, Chateauneuf, Chapel Hill, Convent Glen and Blackburn Hamlet, is also accepting donations for its Christmas programs.
Other ways you can help out the two resource centres is to make a donation to the food bank or the Salvation Army’s Toy Mountain campaign.
To contact the Orléans Cumberland Community Resource Centre call 613 830-4357. Likewise, to contact the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre call 613-741-6025. For more information about the Toy Mountain campaign visit www.ottawaboothcentre.org.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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