'In desperate need': Christmas Cheer Board in need of help with deliveries

The holiday season is in full swing and the Christmas Cheer Board has been busy helping Winnipeggers in need; however, the charity is also in need of some help from volunteers.

As of this week, the Christmas Cheer Board has about 9,000 food hampers that need to be delivered. Each hamper contains a mixture of non-perishable food items, such as pasta, rice and soup.

‘[We’ve been] busy. Extremely busy. We’ve had so many people coming in here, dropping off donations, whether it be food or toys,” said Shawna Bell, the Cheer Board’s executive director, in an interview on Monday.

“We’ve seen a lot of donations coming through the door, and, of course, we’ve also had a lot of recipients come in the last six days.”

Now, the Cheer Board is looking for volunteer drivers to help distribute the hampers to Winnipeg households, with Bell saying they are “in desperate need.”

“We have a lot of hampers, around 9,000, that have to get out to families and individuals in need across the city,” she said.

“So we really are hoping that folks come out to help get those hampers to them.”

Those interested in being volunteer drivers can go to the Christmas Cheer Board warehouse, located at 1821 Wellington Ave., with their driver’s licence. From there, your vehicle will be loaded up with hampers and gifts to give. Experience is not needed.

“It’s super important to help families and individuals to just know that there’s help out there, but also that they aren’t forgotten about in what can be a super busy time of the year,” Bell said.

“For little ones, it’s nice to have a gift under the tree and sometimes it is the only one, so we want to make sure they get what they need.”

The Christmas Cheer Board distributes more than 16,000 hampers every year, providing food and toys to residents in need.

There’s still time for those who want to apply for a hamper. All you need to do is call 204-989-5683 to give your information.