Helping Winnipeggers, one hamper at a time

One Winnipeg woman is helping the community one hamper at a time

To walk through Ally Beauchesne’s basement right now – with its tidy floors and organized layout – you wouldn’t know that only a couple of months ago, you could barely see the windows, walls or floors.

“Basically, what we did was we created a grocery store in my house,” said Beauchesne, who helped coordinate the delivery of 50 holiday hampers this past Christmas season.

Beauchesne’s efforts didn’t start so grandiose, nor was it ever her intention to garner public praise.

In 2020, after reading about her friend’s childhood experience receiving donated hampers during the holidays, Beauchesne decided she would do what she could to help out families in need.

Then an expecting mother, Beauchesne wondered what she would do if she didn’t have the financial means to make Christmas dinner for her child.

“That’s what keeps me up at night wanting to raise more money or have this grow as much as it has because I can’t handle that idea,” she said.

Originally, Beauchesne only planned to use an online book sale to garner funding for a set number of hampers.

Then she started making calls on social media for more donations.

“I would post a tweet and I would say, ‘hey we got this family,’” said Beauchesne, “And people would donate.”

“I think where I found a little success was just giving people a very specific item they could sponsor or donate.”

A “little” success may be an understatement.

In her first year, Beauchesne donated 12 hampers. During this past Christmas season, she coordinated the delivery of 50 hampers, an effort she credits to the broader Winnipeg community.

“That’s the beauty of the whole thing,” she said, “The community donated it and then there are lots of people who wanted to deliver and give back, too.”

Already outgrowing her basement, Beauchesne aims to streamline the hamper-making process for the upcoming holiday season and may plan additional donation drives in the months ahead.

“As long as people want to donate, we’re going to do it,” she said.