‘Tis the season for Vancouver Firefighter Charities (VFC) and community partners to fill the stockings of local families in need via VFC’s Toys For Kids program and the 36th Annual Christmas Wish Breakfast at the Pan Pacific Hotel on Wednesday, December 13th.
VFC anticipates it will provide more than $145,000 worth of toys, gifts and sporting equipment to local families through the efforts of the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau (LMCB) and organizations such as the Lloyd and Elsie Campbell Foundation, the Vancouver Foundation, The Sports Exchange, London Drugs, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Rock 101 and Global News.
At the Christmas Wish Breakfast on Dec. 13, more than 100 VFC members — and Jolly Old Saint Nick himself — will gather in the lobby of the Pan Pacific Hotel starting at 7 a.m. to assemble donations into a towering mountain of toys and accept unwrapped gifts that will be donated to families in need by the LMCB.
All those who donate a toy will enjoy a free hot buffet breakfast where they can meet and greet off-duty firefighters and share in the festive spirit of giving while enjoying holiday-themed music, events and entertainment.
The VFC will also organize two events in the lead-up to the Christmas Wish Breakfast, including a new ‘Wrap Day’ on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at the Pan Pacific Hotel that will benefit the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society’s ‘Sheway’ initiative that provides health and social services to women struggling with substance abuse; and a drive-thru toy and donation drop-off that will be held Wednesday, Dec. 6 at the following Lower Mainland London Drugs locations: 500 West Broadway (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Granville Street (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) 2091 West 42nd Ave. (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), 2230 West Broadway (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and 4970 Kingsway (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
Each year the VFC partners with the Lloyd & Elsie Campbell Foundation and the Vancouver Foundation to provide thousands of wrapped gifts to at-risk youth in the Greater Vancouver community. Presents are collected, packaged, and delivered by off-duty firefighters who both pledge funds through regular payroll donations and volunteer their time to help vulnerable children across the Lower Mainland experience the magic of the holiday season.
Comprising hundreds of firefighters from halls located throughout Vancouver, VFC raises funds through its voluntary Payroll Donation program to help at-risk and in-need people of all ages not just during the holiday season but throughout the year. VFC members also pledge their time and funds to a number of programs including the BC Burn Fund, Snacks For Kids, Sports For Kids and Lifelines For Seniors, among others.
To learn more about the Toys for Kids program and contribute to this year’s campaign visit vancouverfirefighters.ca/toys-for-kids/. Learn more about VFC’s fundraising work by visiting vancouverfirefighters.ca and following @vanfirecharities on Instagram.