Ring those bells! Vancouver Firefighter Charities (VFC) is filling its red sleighs with $47,000 of toys and sports equipment via its Toys For Kids program that will be donated to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau (LMCB) at the 35th Annual Christmas Wish Breakfast at the Pan Pacific Hotel on Wednesday, December 14.
This week, off-duty firefighters will visit The Sports Exchange in Downtown Vancouver and Kaboodles Toy Store in Kitsilano, Cambie Village, Granville Island to purchase $47,000 worth of sporting goods and toys that will be dropped off at the Christmas Wish Breakfast, which returns to the Vancouver Christmas calendar after a two-year pandemic hiatus.
VFC members — and Jolly Old Saint Nick himself — will be on site from 7 to 10 a.m. to assemble donations into a towering mountain of toys in the lobby 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.
Each year the VFC partners with the Lloyd & Elsie Campbell Foundation and the Vancouver Foundation to provide hundreds 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.
Last year, VFC donated $80,000 worth of toys, games, and sporting goods to local families through its Toys for Kids initiative. Even with in-person events being curtailed for the past two and a half years, VFC kept up its momentum, donating more than $200,000 of toys via toy drives co-hosted with its community partner London Drugs throughout the pandemic.
“This gift purchase and the Christmas Wish Breakfast are two of the events we really look forward to on our fundraising calendar and we’re thrilled to be able to build that massive stack of toys again,” says James Docherty, VFC Executive Director. “This effort is a real win-win for all of us at VFC. We don’t just get to show lots of love for kids and families in need and put some smiles on their faces Christmas morning — we also get to support local businesses in the bargain.”
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.
Members of the public are invited to learn more about the Toys for Kids program and contribute to this year’s campaign by visiting vancouverfirefighters.ca/toys-for-kids/.
