Horizon School Division Aids 147 Families Through Hamper Project

Horizon School Division has successfully completed its annual Christmas Hamper Project, providing essential support to 147 families and 368 children during the 2025 holiday season. This initiative, which has been running for twelve years, continues to thrive due to the generosity of students, staff, local trustees, and community partners.

Each child participating in the project received a wrapped gift, a book, treats, and warm winter items such as mitts, toques, and scarves. Additionally, families were given a $300 grocery gift certificate intended to assist with holiday meals. The hampers also included hygiene products, handmade quilts, fresh farm eggs, bags of potatoes, and hand-beaded ornaments, as reported by Horizon School Division in a recent news release.

Jesse Green, communications officer for Horizon School Division, highlighted the project’s substantial impact, stating, “The 2025 project is expected to exceed $65,000 in total value, not including the significant contribution of donated goods and services. While Horizon’s website recognizes financial and in-kind donors, it cannot fully reflect the level of volunteerism and community spirit behind the initiative.”

The director of education, Kevin Garinger, expressed admiration for the community’s involvement, saying, “The heart of this project is our community. It’s inspiring to see people come together to make the holidays brighter for families. Every gift and every volunteer hour shows that people care.”

Since its inception in 2014, the Christmas Hamper Project has supported a total of 1,558 families and 4,086 children. Although the hampers are distributed in December, planning and fundraising occur throughout the year. Horizon School Division actively welcomes both financial and in-kind donations to ensure the continuation of this valuable project in the future.