Be a secret Santa for a child in care of Batshaw

Every year Batshaw Youth and Family Centres runs a Holiday Gift Campaign to provide gifts for approximately 1,400 children aged 0-17 who are under Youth Protection in the Montreal region. This includes children in foster care and in group homes.  For many of them, this is the only holiday gift they receive. This year Batshaw needs our help in sponsoring children more than ever as corporate donors have decreased during the pandemic.

These children are a part of our extended community. Many become Dawson students and students in several Dawson programmes do stages in their facilities. This will be the fourth year Dawson has lent a helping hand with the campaign. Last year we provided gifts for more than 35 children as well as raising several hundred dollars towards last minute present needs Let’s make an effort to make these children’s holiday a happier time in this difficult year.

Every child makes a wish list that you will receive if you volunteer to become their Secret Santa. If you would like to be matched with a child to purchase them a gift (value $50) either alone or as a team or department, please contact Janice Harvey as soon as possible at jharvey@dawsoncollege.qc.ca. Gifts can be brought directly to Batshaw (near Dawson) or can either be dropped off at the home of a volunteer or picked up at your home.

Financial donations are also appreciated. These help the Batshaw team cover children who were lost in the original process or added to the system late. These can be made directly on the Batshaw Foundation website: https://www.batshawfoundation.ca/holiday-gifts-for-children.html. Thank you.

Submitted by Janice Harvey