2020 has been difficult for many families during the pandemic and the Horizon School Division’s Christmas Hamper, based in Humboldt, looked to support those in need this year in a safe COVID-friendly way.

Now in it’s seventh year, the Horizon Christmas Hamper Project, collects donations from staff and individual board members to purchase gifts and distribute them across communities within the division. Local partners in the community also contribute to the initiative throughout the season.  The project required new measures this year like ensuring physical distancing, limiting groups of staff working at one time, wearing face masks, and sanitizing when packaging and wrapping gifts. This year funds were also used to buy gifts such as grocery gift cards, toques, mitts, books, toys, and various other items to help spread goodwill.

Each year, school administrators submit names of students and families they feel would benefit from this project. Horizon’s Director of Education, Kevin Garinger says this year the number of students and families they were able to support with the project had grown to the highest numbers they have seen, with Horizon sharing gifts with 440 children and 174 families across the school division.