Frequently Asked Questions From Share Christmas Sponsors

Please click on the question you want, and you'll be taken directly to the corresponding answer.

1. What does a sponsor have to provide to the families who are sponsored?
2. How much does it cost to sponsor a family?
3. Where do I get the hampers to pack the items into?
4. What food, hygiene and cleaning supplies should be included in the hampers?
5. What is a Good Food Box?
6. Should I wrap the gifts I have bought for the family?
7. Could someone pickup our Sponsor-a-Family boxes?
8. Where is the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre located?
9. When do I have to have all of the Sponsor-a-Family boxes delivered to the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre?
10. Christmas is not until December 25, so why do you need the family boxes so early?
11. What time is Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre open to receive my Sponsor-a-Family boxes?
12. Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
13. Can I meet the family that I am sponsoring?
14. I can't afford to sponsor a whole family, but would still like to participate.

FAQ Answers

1. What does a sponsor have to provide to the families who are sponsored?
   Required items:
   
   • Food voucher
   • Nonperishable food
   • Hygiene items
   • Household cleaners
   • A book for each child
   • A gift for each child - MUST BE NEW - suggestions will be provided.
     • Could be clothing
     • Could be a toy
     • Could be both
   
   Important Note: If funds are limited, please supply clothing over toys. The program can more easily add a toy, over clothing, for the child, as specific clothing sizes may not be available.
   
   Optional items include:
   
   • Basic Clothing - Underpants, socks, Pajamas for children
   • Basic Clothing - Underpants, socks, Pajamas for adults/seniors
   • Gift for parents/adult children
   • Gift for seniors
   • Family gift
   
   For information about the cost of sponsoring a family or individual, please click here for more details.  This file is an MS Word document.


2. How much does it cost to sponsor a family?
   The cost of sponsoring a family depends on:
   
   1. the size of the family
   2. the composition of the family, (teens and infants costs are higher)
   3. the amount of funds available from the sponsor
   
   For general guidelines regarding the cost of sponsoring a family or individual, please click here for more details.  This file is an MS Word document.


3. Where do I get the hampers to pack the items into?
   The word hamper is really a misnomer.  Sturdy boxes are generally used to pack the items.  They cannot be too large because they become too heavy to lift.  They also need to have a lid, as all boxes are eventually stacked once they get to the community centre.  A good place to pick up boxes is at your grocery store or the LCBO.  Laundry hampers can be used to pack items into as well.


4. What food, hygiene and cleaning supplies should be included in the hampers?
   The amount of money spent on each of the items is dependent on:
   
   • the size of the family
   • the composition of the family, (teens and infants costs are higher)
   • the amount of funds available from the sponsor
   
   Note: If funds are limited, focus on hygiene and cleaning supplies.  We can usually supplement additional food for your sponsored family from school/church donations.
   
   • Non Perishable Food - click here for a list of suggestions.
   • Hygiene Items - click here for a list of suggestions.
   • Cleaning Supplies - click here for a list of suggestions.


5. What is a Good Food Box?
   New this year!  It is a recognized fact that healthy eating of fruits and vegetables can be expensive.  Our Share Christmas Families rarely have enough funds to buy these items.  Because we have no facilities to store these items to keep them fresh, we have partnered up with Food Share Toronto, who will deliver Good Food Boxes on a daily basis, for those sponsors who order one for their sponsored families.  The good food boxes contain a variety of locally grown and imported produce.
   
   Small boxes are $12 and large boxes are $17.  Sponsors need to indicate if they will be purchasing a Good Food Box for their Share Christmas family when they confirm receipt of their family information that will be sent to them in October or early November.  Payment for the Good Food Boxes is made in cash, when the hampers are dropped off at the community centre in early December.


6. Should I wrap the gifts I have bought for the family?
   The short answer is NO.  We have had gifts wrapped in the past, and have found that parents want to know what their children are receiving, so they unwrap and rewrap the gifts.  It is best to put each child's gift into a large gift bag with their name on it or supply the gift wrap for parents to wrap the children's presents.
   
   Gift wrap and gift bags are always welcome, as we never have enough.


7. Could someone pickup our Sponsor-a-Family boxes?
   Yes.  We have volunteers who pick up Sponsor-a-Family boxes.  Please contact our Driver Coordinator Terry Girardin at terry.girardin@sympatico.ca.  Please ensure you advise him of:
   • Date
   • Time
   • Address including postal code
   • Major intersection
   • Contact name of person at the pickup location
   • Contact phone number of the person at the pickup location
   • Contact email of the person at the pickup location
   • Number of boxes – this is required so he knows what size vehicle to send.


8. Where is the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre (BBNC) located?
   BBNC is located at:
   93 Birchmount Rd.
   Scarborough, ON, M1N 3J7.
   The centre is located between Danforth Ave. and Kingston Rd, on the east side of Birchmount Rd.
   Our phone number is 416-396-4310.


9. When do I have to have all of the Sponsor-a-Family boxes delivered to the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre?
   Basically starting December 1, the sooner the better, or whatever date is on your family information email that has been sent by the Share Christmas Coordinator.  We are trying to stagger the deliveries this year, so we are not inundated with family boxes all arriving at the same time. The latest date for delivery is December 12th.  The program will be completed and closed by December 18, as the community centre floors are scheduled to be washed and waxed.


10. Christmas is not until December 25, so why do you need the family boxes so early?
    Each box that goes out to the families is opened and checked. With over 300 families, and this all takes time.  We have to be completely finished by December 17th, so the sooner the family items are delivered, the better.  We ensure:
    • There is enough food, and it has not been opened
    • There is an equal number of gifts for all children in the family
    • If the sponsor has concentrated on clothing as gifts, we will add a toy for the children from our general donations
    • Gifts are appropriate
    • All items are new
    • Sizes are correct
    • If a child needs any clothing and the sponsor could not provide it, we will see if we have that item in the correct size in our general donations.


11. What time is BBNC open to receive my Sponsor-a-Family boxes?
    Starting December 1, 2010:
    
    • Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm - BBNC staff will receive the items
    • ** Monday to Friday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm - City of Toronto Staff will receive the items
    • Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm - BBNC staff will receive the items
    • ** Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 to 10:00 am and from 3:00 to 6:00 pm - City of Toronto Staff will receive the items


12. Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
    Tax receipts will be provided for any cash/cheque donations.  Many sponsors will provide a cheque for the food vouchers for their families.  The program will bulk purchase the vouchers and receive a discount which will be reinvested into the Share Christmas program.  Good Food Boxes that are ordered for families have to be paid for with cash/cheque, and this is also tax receipted.  All tax receipts for donations will be mailed out in January 2011.


13. Can I meet the family that I am sponsoring?
    No.  Sponsorship is totally anonymous.  This recognizes the respect for the families who are in need.  Sponsors do not know the families and families do not know their sponsors.  Tax receipts will be provided for any cash/cheque donations.


14. I can't afford to sponsor a whole family, but would still like to participate.
    There are a couple of ways you can participate in sponsoring a family.  Let us know which way you would like to participate:
    
    1. Partial Sponsorship - If you can provide:
       
       • Food voucher
       • Underpants, socks and PJs
       • Book for each child
       The program can supply:
       
       • Nonperishable food
       • Hygiene items
       • Cleaning supplies
       • Toy for child
    2. Purchase Food Vouchers for the program - We are always in need of these as many schools that sponsor a family do not include the vouchers.
    3. Make a cash donation to the program - Cash donations allow us to fill in the gaps for items that are in scarce quantities.  Tax receipts will be issued.

Suggestions for Nonperishable Food

As a general rule, we suggest a minimum of 2 boxes of food for one person, and then add an additional box for each additional person in the family.  Using this logic, a family with 4 people would have 5 boxes of food.  There can NEVER be too much food included.

These are suggestions only.  Please do not feel obliged to include everything.  All items must be unopened/sealed.  Items that are bolded are always in short supply.

• Cereal, Oatmeal
• Granola bars
• Pancake mix
• Peanut butter, Jam, Honey
• Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Canned milk
• Juice, Juice boxes
• Sugar, Flour
• Vegetable oil
• Rice
• Stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy
• Canned Fish, (Tuna, Salmon, Sardines)
• Soup, Beans, Chili, Stew
• Pasta, Pasta sauce, Canned tomatoes
• Crackers, Cookies, Cake mixes, frosting
• Canned fruit, Pudding, Jello
• Canned vegetables
• Dried vegetable (lentils, peas)
• Macaroni and cheese
• Mashed potatoe mix, Side dishes
• Condiments (ketchup, mustard, relish, salsa, mayo, salad dressing, soy sauce)
• Salt, pepper and spices

For Infants

• Jarred baby food, Baby cereal
• Formula
• Cookies

Suggestions for Hygiene Items

These are suggestions only.  Please do not feel obliged to include everything.  All items must be unopened/sealed.  Items that are bolded are always in short supply.

• Toilet paper
• Hand soap, Body wash
• Tampons and Sanitary napkins
• Toothbrushes, Toothpaste
• Shampoo and Creme rinse
• Deodorant (teens like AXE)
• Razors
• Shaving gel

Suggestions for Cleaning Supplies

These are suggestions only.  Please do not feel obliged to include everything.  All items must be unopened/sealed.  Items that are bolded are always in short supply.

• Laundry detergent, Dish soap
• Garbage bags
• All-purpose cleaner, Window cleaner
• Paper towels, J cloths
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Bleach