Christmas came early for the Surrey Christmas Bureau.
The non-profit charity put out a desperate call last month that the organization needed a new space for its seasonal activities, pop-up toy depot, office facilities and its Adopt a Family program.
Staff said in a release Friday they were delighted when Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and officials at Fraser Health stepped up to offer them a shared warehouse space in the former Safeway at 10355 King George Boulevard.
“We are absolutely thrilled and so grateful to Mayor Locke and Fraser Health for their generosity in donating this space as our 2022 Toy Depot,” executive director Lisa Werring said in a release.
“Having Fraser Health as our warehouse ‘roommate’ seems uniquely fitting; the emotional and mental stress that struggling families experience during the holiday season is a significant health issue,” the release said.
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“Every year, our volunteers see the stress literally melt away from parents when they receive toys for their children and those all-important Christmas hampers. Their happiness is tangible and wonderfully contagious in the best possible way. It is what keeps volunteers coming back year after year.”
The Surrey Christmas Bureau serves approximately 2,000 families, including more than 4,500 children, every year.
In 2021, the Bureau provided almost $190,000 in grocery vouchers to families in need, which translates to over 21,000 meals.
“I have been a longtime supporter of the Surrey Christmas Bureau and when I heard the charity was struggling to find a home for the holidays yet again, I wanted to help,” said Locke in a release.
“I am pleased to see they will be welcomed back into their former space. The joy that the Surrey Christmas Bureau brings to thousands of children every year is immeasurable and I’m delighted to see this invaluable service make the holidays brighter for a number of families across the city.”
Registration for help is already available on the Surrey Christmas Bureau website.
The Christmas Bureau Toy Depot will be open and ready to receive donations of toys and financial gifts beginning Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, and will be open thereafter Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 10355 King George Boulevard.
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