Salvation Army urgently pleading for Christmas hamper sponsors for Merritt families

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Salvation Army is making another urgent plea to residents to donate gifts for children 17 and under, and gift cards to purchase food.

Following the Coldwater River flood in mid-November, the Salvation Army decided to seek Christmas hamper sponsors for Merritt families whose property had been damaged, on top of its usual Kamloops families.

“We’re doing about 200 families in Merritt and we’re only about halfway there with match ups,” Captain Kelly Fifield says. “If somebody can’t do a whole family, but want to do something, they can pick up some gifts and gift cards and drop them by our office, and then we’re able to have some items to put together for families. We need to let these families know that there are so many burdens already on their plate, let’s remove this one.”

Fifield says the Salvation Army has been in contact with the Merritt Food Bank – the city’s normal Christmas assistance provider. The Salvation Army plans to assist extra Merritt families in the holiday season who normally wouldn’t need it.

“They’re recognizing that items that they had stored away for Christmas are gone,” Fifield says. “We want to make sure we can provide families with food for Christmas dinner, as well as a couple of gifts that they can wrap under the tree. Nothing extravagant, but a few items for each child.”

The deadline to receive gifts and food gift cards and organize Christmas hampers in Merritt is Friday (Dec. 10). The Salvation Army says it’s because the distribution for Kamloops families is next week and it acknowledges time is running out for people to shop.

Fifield says the best method to inquire about donating is calling the Salvation Army at 250-554-1611 ext. 200.