Lotus Light Send out 6,000 Christmas Gifts to Volunteers and Community Partners
Christmas is approaching and Lotus Light Charity Society is organizing volunteers to send out Christmas gifts to disadvantaged groups in the community to bring holiday greetings and care. These groups include the elderly, low-income and single-parent families, refugees and inner-city schools students. As well, partner organizations and volunteers also received gifts as a token of appreciation and to give thanks to those who helped us this year with our various projects.
Over 6,000 gifts and food items were sent. Some of the gifts include gift cards, toys, and hand sanitizers. The food items sent include assorted chocolates, pasta, juice, sandwiches, dairy products, produce, fruits, various frozen seafood, chicken, pork, beef, eggs, instant rice, and bread. In addition, some non-perishable food items were also gifted. These include peanut butter, breakfast cereals, granola bar, cookies and candy.
Organizations that were gifted include BC Children hospital, Vancouver Police Department, Gladstone Secondary School, John Oliver Secondary School, Collingwood Neighborhood House, South Vancouver Neighborhood House, Collingwood Community Policing Centre, Belkin House, Immigrant Link Centre Society, First United Church, Powell Street Getaway Resources Centre, Tri Cities Moms Group, Coquitlam and Surrey low-income families, Grape Creations Wine Making, and Birak Berry Farms.
To recognize the volunteers contribution in the Lotus Light Covid-19 relief programs, the charity also specially prepared Christmas gifts and gift cards to be sent to the volunteers’ homes in time before Christmas Eve. We would like to thank the volunteer team of Lotus Light Emergency Kitchen for their help in responding to the urgent need of vulnerable population in the surrounding community. Lotus Light Emergency Kitchen group has distributed free meals every week to those in need in Downtown Eastside community, amounting to more than 4,000 meals served since the emergency kitchen was established. We would like to thank the “Lotus Light Masks Drive” volunteers for their help in producing free fabric masks. A total of 25,000 masks have been distributed as a result of this drive. We would like to thank to the volunteers and community partners of “Lotus Light Community Caring Drive” for the hampers and food distribution. More than 320,000 pounds of food have been distributed across lower mainland communities since April 2020. We would like to thank to the volunteers of the “Inner City School Hamper” team for sending nutritious food and house essential items to help low income families with school children. Finally, we would like to thank to the community partners Vancouver Police Department, constables and volunteers from Community Policing Centers, and paramedics of BC Ambulance Services for sending over 1,000 winter care packages and sleeping bags to help the street homeless.
The Covid-19 pandemic created many challenges for all of us, but with the help from the volunteers, we were able to alleviate some of the challenges from various impoverished communities around Vancouver. Lotus Light would like to thank both the volunteers for their selfless dedication and community partner organizations to bring care, warm to people in need. Special thanks go out to the businesses and individuals who provided generous donations to help those in need. We wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Lotus Light Charity Society relies on financial and in-kind donations from individuals and corporate supporters for programs to help the people in need in our community. “Though learning and caring, we help to build a better tomorrow.” For more information of various Lotus Light’s charity programs, please contact us by email: llcsvancouver@gmail.com , Tel: 604-685-5548, or visit lotus light website: http://vllcs.org. Lotus Light Charity Society registered number: BN 14110-4893-RR0001.