The holiday season is a special time of the year for us at Agapè.

Sometimes we see people on their worst days – stressed, anxious, feeling a little hopeless and unsure of how they are going to make ends meet and get food on their table for themselves or their families.

Some moments it’s hard to see so many people right here in our community in need of a little help.

But we also get to see the best side of people: in their generosity and gratitude.

We are grateful for all of the ways that people support our services, and the thousands we help to feed every month.

Thank you for your time. Volunteers play a huge role in the delivery of our services. Thank you to our more than 80 regular volunteers, and also to those who help out over the holidays in our food bank and soup kitchen.

Thank you for your food donations. We are grateful for everyone who organized a food drive on our behalf. Many even called to ask us what we need most and collected those items specifically. Our shelves are full, and the food is still rolling in today. It’s been so wonderful to see so many fresh donations, too, like turkey, meat, and produce. This will help us throughout the winter months.

Thank you for your monetary donations. Because we buy in bulk and have the support of local grocers, we can multiply every dollar donated. And a special thank you to anyone who donated to our building campaign. We can’t provide our services without having a place to do so. Now, with our renovations complete, we have a safe, accessible, welcoming and dignified space.

Thank you for the gently used clothing, toys, household items, books and more. Your donations help keep our store stocked with incredible items, and allow us to give tens of thousands of dollars worth of clothes away for free to people who need it. The revenue from the store directly supports our services.

Thank you for your words of encouragement and support. We’ve been through a lot of changes this year, so that we can provide the best food and services as possible. The community’s support means a lot to us.

It’s so heart-warming to see the many ways that people give, and we appreciate every amount given to us.

We can assure all of our donors that what you’re doing matters – the people you are helping are always leaving here saying thank you. On a daily basis we hear: “Thank you for the delicious meal” and “Thank you for the groceries” and “Thank you for helping me” and “Thank you for listening”.

But we know we couldn’t do what we do without all of you.

From all of us at the Agapè Centre, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays!