Holiday Hero back for another year of helping youth in need

The holiday season is just around the corner, and SAC has launched its annual program to support young people in York Region.

Holiday Hero collects donations to purchase gifts and necessities for youth in the care of the York Region Children’s Aid Society (CAS). These are young men and women who live independently, reside in group homes, or are away at school and don’t have a family to rely on. 

Upper School and Middle School advisory groups each choose a youth to support and follow up with selecting gifts based on their youth’s list of needs. In years past, these necessities ranged from bedding and toiletries to winter clothing and baby items.

Every youth is given a minimum of five gifts, which often includes gift cards.

The gifts are due Nov. 20, and students are to pass them along to their advisors directly. Once all the gifts have been collected, they will be wrapped up in festive paper and picked up by CAS workers for delivery to the youth.

Holiday Hero kicked off Oct. 30 as the Outreach Council raised money for the cause by selling Halloween candy bags.

Last year, St. Andrew’s boys made the holiday season brighter for 112 young people aged 16 to 21. The donations included 32 sets of pots and pans, 41 sets of pillows, 42 bedding sets, 34 winter coats, 28 pairs of winter boots, 23 microwaves, four bed frames and mattresses, and more than $30,000 worth of gift cards. 

Faculty and staff spent shifts preparing each recipient’s gifts until 357 bags were filled with colourful boxes and parcels. 

Holiday Hero has been operating for 14 years. This is the fifth year the School has focused on helping young people; prior to that, we helped families, which are now being supported by the Salvation Army.
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