By Daryl Major

Donations needed to help Christmas Angels serve Nanaimo’s less fortunate

Dec 6, 2016 | 4:47 PM

NANAIMO – Hundreds of people will have a happier holiday this year thanks to some Christmas Angels.

This is the sixth year of the Volunteer Nanaimo program, in which many of the people who support it do so anonymously. Spokesperson Rita Innamorati says they do get some assistance in finding the families they end up helping.

“They come to us through agencies or counselors,” said Innamorati. “And they’ve been working with these people so they know a lot about them and what kind of people they are. You know, whether they’re a working family that just is struggling to make ends meet and we just want to make sure that their children and themselves are cared for at Christmas.”

As the awareness of the program has grown over the years, Innamorati says the need for it has also increased.

“We started doing 20 or 30 and we got up to about 65 a few years ago,” said Innamorati. “And last year we were over 350. Families, individuals, seniors up til then and this year we added teens.”

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They’re looking for primarily toy and food donations, but Innamorati says there is another way to give.

“We are a charitable organization,” said Innamorati. “So even if they don’t want to shop, if they want to donate even $20, $30 we do issue tax receipts. And we’re happy for the help because in the end, the families that aren’t adopted, we shop for.”

They will accept donations of food, toys and cash until the Dec. 15, but Innamorati says they have gotten calls to help as late as Dec. 23.

Call Volunteer Nanaimo at 250-758-7121 for more information.