Deal-hunting Winnipegger’s holiday hamper project snowballing as demand grows
When the temperatures start to dip, Ally Beauchesne begins scouring flyers and thrifty Facebook groups, looking for the best deals on all the things that make the holidays merry and bright.
She posts her daily finds to her X page.
“Today’s amazing grocery deal is Pasta Sauce! Classico pasta sauce is $1.97 at Walmart,” she wrote on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, on Nov. 15.
But the deal hunting is in service of Winnipeggers in need.
She called on her followers to help her buy 100 jars. Within a day, people had donated enough money to meet the tomatoey target.
The jars of sauce will line boxes filled with other non-perishable and fresh food items, personal care goods and toys as part of The Hamper Project.
Beauchesne started the endeavour in 2020 after reading an article a friend wrote about the difference hampers made in her life when she was a child.
“I had a two-year-old, and I was expecting another. I just knew that I was very fortunate and I wanted to give back,” she told CTV Morning Live Winnipeg in an interview.
In the first year, she put together seven hampers with help from the community.
As the needs grew every Christmas, so too did The Hamper Project.
Last year, she made 49 hampers, a number Beauchesne is on pace to surpass this year.
“Organizations are already reaching out to me, and I have 48 families on my list, but we’ve only collected enough donations for 21.”
Folks have many ways to donate. They can send money directly to Beauchesne to go buy the daily grocery deal finds, or they can buy them themselves and drop them off. She also has an Amazon wish list filled with well-priced toys, non-perishable food items and other comfort items hand-selected by Beauchesne to get the best bang for your buck.
Sometimes Winnipeggers get in on the deal hunting themselves.
“Someone sent me a text that cereal was $1.49 at the Sobeys Cash and Carry and honestly, they bought 102, and it was amazing.”
Anyone looking to contribute to the Hamper Project can find details on its Facebook group.
While Beauchesne is the one spearheading The Hamper Project, she says it’s a true group effort.
“I call myself the girl with the Excel sheet because I’m the one putting it together, but the community is the one that really puts it together.”
- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.