Donate Love is ending the year with a little extra help.

Through the Buhler Active Living Centre's Holly Daze initiative over the last number of weeks, the charitable organization has been able to boost its stock of food and toys.

"Their efforts of raising funds and gathering food and toys has been a wonderful addition to what we're doing," said Donate Love's Brian Thiessen. Thiessen said the extra help any time of year, but especially this time of year is huge in allowing them to give to people that may be finding it tight.

Meanwhile, an ongoing item on the wishlist of Donate Love is to have the opportunity to have their doors open to those in need on a more frequent basis. Throughout the year, on a weekly basis, the charitable organization provides food for about 40 to 50 families.



Although it's a huge job to coordinate throughout the year and the need for more volunteers exists regularly, Thiessen says the past year had a number of highlights to celebrate. Thiessen said one example which was very powerful for them, was the recent FCC Drive Away Hunger campaign. "We had some of the middle schools in town really put in extra effort and bring in some food." Thiessen said they had a lot of the kids come in for a tour, and showed them how the food bank works, showed them where the food was going to and how it gets back into the community. "I think that was a really strong statement for them. They really felt connected as they could see what was happening with everything they did."