About Us

Who We Are:

We are a British Columbia registered non-profit society, a registered charity under Revenue Canada Charities Act, and a member of the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau (empty stocking fund and annual motorcycle toy run). We operate 100% with volunteers and no one is paid wages or honorariums from the society for any reason. We do not conduct door to door or telephone campaigns to solicit money and depend solely on the generosity of local residents, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows service clubs, organizations, groups and local business for support.

How We Started:

Local volunteers originally founded the organization in the late 1960's. The volunteers comprised mostly of people from service clubs and the volunteer fire dept who wanted to insure that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. At that time there was no registration process and the information for who received hampers was obtained by word of mouth. Local organizations, schoolteachers, and citizens at large submitted names.

How We Have Grown:

We are still local volunteers that come together every year in November, and work until every registered family in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows has been given a Christmas. Although the scope of work has remained the same, changes have been made to insure fairness and equality. We now have a registration policy, and rather than collecting items of food, we provide each family with a certificate that allows the recipient to go shopping. Each certificate lists specific Christmas Day foods, but allows the family to choose their favorite vegetables, juice and desert items. Families with children are also given a box of mandarin oranges, a box of Christmas cookies and candy canes. In addition to the food certificate, each child from birth to 18 years is given a generous toy/gift bag.

How We Serve The Community:

Our volunteers meet trains, sit in malls, sort and pack toys, register clients (434 families in 2007), pick up toys at several locations, set up and tear down offices and toy sort locations, distribute toys (to over 800 children in 2007), speak at schools, administer a good neighbor program, and run "Rudolph's Gift Shoppe™" with new and used clothes and toys.