2025 UPDATE: Because Christmas is just around the corner, we are no longer asking donors to shop for a family. At this time, we kindly ask for monetary donations through our online portal, and our Holiday Helpers elves will take care of all the shopping to ensure families are supported in time for Christmas.
When you sponsor a family wishlist, you’ll receive a personalized list from a real family from the York Region — and shop for their requested items yourself.
When you sponsor a family wishlist, you can expect to purchase the family:
- Winter coats (or snow suits) for each family member
- Hat and mitts
- Minimum of two household items from the list
- Minimum of two Santa toys for each child
- Minimum $150 grocery gift card for the family
You're welcome to purchase additional items from the wishlist, but we ask that you fulfill these minimum requests. We recommend planning to spend a minimum of $200 per family member, plus $150 for a grocery gift card.
How it Works
SIZE OF FAMILY
STEP ONE: Determine the size of family you would like to sponsor.
- This will depend on your budget and how many people are in your group
- We recommend planning to spend a minimum of $200 per family member, plus $150 for a grocery gift card
- Example: to sponsor a family of 2 people, you should budget $550 ($200 for the parent + $200 for the child + $150 for a grocery gift card.)
SIGN UP
STEP TWO: When you know the size of family to sponsor, scroll to the bottom of this page and fill in the form.
- You will be added to a waitlist. Wishlists will be sent out in order of people registering to sponsor, but are usually not ready until October.
WISHLIST
STEP THREE: Once a list is available, Holiday Helpers will email you a wish list for an actual family. The list will included their first name, gender, age, clothing/household/toy requests.
SHOPPING
STEP FOUR: Now it's time for the fun part! We recommend shopping at similar stores as the family would, like Old Navy and Walmart. Be sure to get a gift receipt and keep the tags on. No used items.
DROP-OFF
STEP FIVE: In late November, we will send you details of the designated drop-off centre and a drop-off date. You will be expected to drop off the presents at the designated centre by the deadline in early December.
In Santa's Workshop, the gifts will be checked, wrapped and packaged for the family
DELIVERY
STEP SIX: The package will be delivered or picked up by the family before Christmas Day.
THANK YOU
We do ask all the families to provide a thank-you letter telling us about their Christmas experience. Those letters will be forwarded to you in January to March.
YORK REGION WAREHOUSE LOCATION
The York Holiday Warehouse is located at the Upper Canada Mall, 17600 Yonge St, Newmarket ON, L3Y 4Z1. We will email you by December 1 to let you know the best parking lot and entrance to find Holiday Helpers.
PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT able to provide a tax receipts for gifts given to the family.
PLEASE NOTE: Depending on when you register, it may take a few days to a few weeks to send you a wishlist that matches your request. We will send a list as soon as it becomes available.
Our packages bring Christmas joy, but they also offer poverty-relief items like winter snow suits, warm hats & mitts, household items (i.e. warm blankets, small appliances) and a grocery gift card that can be put towards a warm meal.
Questions about sponsoring a family?
Contact us at info@holidayhelpers.org
Families in the York Region are referred to us from some of the following agencies:
