For 22 years, the Richmond Auto Mall has hosted Windows of Hope, the Richmond Christmas Fund's largest and longest-running fundraising campaign. It has always been a group effort, with dozens of dealerships, suppliers, and sponsors all making donations. As part of the campaign, windows at the Auto Mall are painted with festive scenes, creating a spectacular holiday display.

This year, the Auto Mall marked its 40th anniversary. It's fitting, then, that Windows of Hope was in perfect synchronicity, raising a record-breaking $40,000. The campaign's overall total now exceeds $515,000!

And it's not just Windows of Hope. The Auto Mall is also a major contributor to the Christmas Fund's annual online auction, with many dealerships donating high-value items. In 2025, the auction raised over $15,000, which would not have been possible without the Auto Mall's support.

For the Christmas Fund, the Auto Mall is a once-in-a-lifetime community partner. We can say thank you, but really, there are no words to express our gratitude.

The Windows of Hope will remain on display until January 4. Be sure to stop by and see them in person, because they'll make your holiday season a whole lot brighter.

For the second year in a row, the Country Meadows Senior Men's Golf Club has donated over $2,500 to the Richmond Christmas Fund. It's an incredibly generous gift from a group that spends as much time supporting their community as they do on the golf course.

While we hope their score is always under par, we're grateful that, once again, they've gone above and beyond for our neighbours in need.

River Rock Casino Resort has always been generous towards the Christmas Fund, having made countless donations over the years and, back in the day, hosting multiple events, from the Christmas Fund Drive-Thru to our annual Donor Appreciation Breakfast.

Through its community impact program, known as PROUD, River Rock continues to offer support, this year organizing a staff toy drive. The team collected some wonderful items, and since River Rock goes all out on holiday decorations, we got to take an extra-festive photo!

On December 7, in Steveston village, overcast skies gave way to rays of sunshine for the 11th Annual Christmas Classic Car Cruise. Presented by the Steveston Merchants Association and organized by Doug Harder, the popular event brings together a diverse mix of custom and classic vehicles, many of them decked out with holiday decorations.

There's also a significant community component, as Car Cruise participants each make a donation to the Richmond Christmas Fund. This year, as you can see from the photo, they collected a table full of toys. What you can't see is that they also raised nearly $1,000!

Whether rain, shine, or a little of both, it's always one of our favourite events of the holiday season!

The gift of time is underrated. Once given, it can't be replenished, which makes it all the more valuable. And so, we're always amazed by the generosity of Christmas Fund volunteers, who contribute hundreds of hours every year.

They serve as greeters, welcoming families to the program. They serve as registration assistants, helping applicants complete the qualification process. They serve as data entry volunteers, capturing key statistics so we can highlight the Christmas Fund's impact. And they serve in the toy room, organizing donations and preparing custom gift bags for families.

They give their time because, at the end of every holiday season, they have something to show for it. Our volunteers are part of the memories, moments, and magic created by the Christmas Fund. Their generous gift of time brings all of it to life.

Globally, Sage has over 11,000 employees. Around 500 are based in Canada, with a good portion - say 150 - working at the company's Vancouver office. This year, we learned that one of them, a long time ago, received help from the Richmond Christmas Fund.

Now, that single connection isn't the reason Sage supports the program. They've been donating and running toy drives for many years. It is the reason, however, that the Christmas Fund exists in the first place. Acts of kindness are remembered and often reciprocated. It's a circle of generosity that sustains the Christmas Fund and strengthens our community.

This year, the team at Sage donated a huge amount of toys. They'll be given to children in need, who will grow up never forgetting that act of kindness. At some point, they'll decide it's their turn to give back, and the cycle will start anew.

Montrose Properties is known for thinking big. They're the development company behind the Richmond Industrial Centre, which, once complete, will offer more than 3 million square feet of industrial space, making it one of the largest logistics hubs in Metro Vancouver.

It should be no surprise, then, that Montrose also thinks big when it comes to community. This year, they became the Christmas Fund's newest Angel Donor, contributing $10,000 to help brighten the holidays for families in need.

With a gigantic physical presence in Richmond, Montrose is invested in the region's future and committed to community stewardship. If their generosity towards the Christmas Fund is any indication, the company is poised to have a big impact.

Lansdowne Centre is the Richmond Christmas Fund's home away from home. Most notably, the mall hosts the annual Richmond RCMP Toy Drive, the Christmas Fund's largest community event. This year's edition brought in 1.5 tons of toys and over $34,600 in donations!

Then there was 2023, when Lansdowne literally was the Christmas Fund's home, providing a temporary space for the program when we lost use of our longtime location.

Behind the mall's enduring support is Vanprop, a privately-owned company that purchased the Lansdowne site back in 1984. When it comes to the Christmas Fund, though, Vanprop is far more than a silent partner: they step up each year to make their own $1,500 donation.

When Victor Ghirra passed away in 2007, at just 37 years old, a heartwarming secret came to light: every year, he'd anonymously purchase thousands of dollars of toys and donate them to BC Children's Hospital, to help lift the spirits of the young patients.

That act of kindness has come to define Victor's legacy, which, for the past 19 years, his friends and family have carried on through the Victor Ghirra Toy Drive. The Richmond Christmas Fund is one of many grateful beneficiaries, receiving not only toy donations, but monetary contributions as well, including a $1,000 donation each of the past five years.

In 2026, the toy drive will mark its 20th anniversary. We look forward to being part of the celebrations and paying tribute to "the man with a golden heart."

On the ice, the Richmond Sockeyes are a powerhouse, currently sitting atop the Pacific Junior Hockey League. But they're also a powerhouse when it comes to community involvement. 

For the past two years, they've participated in the Richmond RCMP Toy Drive, where they've handed out complimentary tickets and faced off against RCMP officers, elected officials, and other local luminaries in hotly contested ball hockey games.

The Sockeyes and their winning ways have helped create an even bigger buzz around the event. We're grateful that, along with being Richmond's team, they're also major contributors to Santa's team.

As Christmas Fund supporters, 505-Junk and Platinum Pro-Claim Restoration are something of a dream team. 

Both companies participate in the Richmond RCMP Toy Drive, volunteering to collect, sort, and package donations. Then, using their specially modified truck, 505-Junk weighs the toys - to determine the overall donation amount - and helps transport them to Platinum Pro-Claim's warehouse, where they're temporarily stored. 

When we're ready to distribute the items, the companies work together again to move the donations to the Christmas Fund Toy Room.

It goes to show that support for the Christmas Fund comes in many forms, including logistics. We should note, however, that Platinum Pro-Claim has never left it at just that: they're also a longtime donor, including a $2,500 contribution this year.

Earlier this year, at our annual Richmond Christmas Fund Thank You Breakfast, we presented Gary Eng, of Summit Customs Brokers, with his very own star - yes, a real one - in recognition of his many years as a Christmas Fund Angel Donor.

Together with Manitoulin Transport, Summit makes an annual $10,000 contribution to the Christmas Fund, while also serving as a major sponsor of the Richmond RCMP Toy Drive.

Apart from his remarkable generosity, Gary is known for his trademark 'newsboy' cap. We think it's a Superman/Clark Kent situation, with the cap - like Clark's glasses - concealing Gary's true identity. Which is? Let's just say that, if he went around wearing a Santa hat, it would be too obvious.

You may not have heard of the Richmond Pentecostal Church Child Care Society, but you've probably seen them on the road. For its out-of-school care program, the organization uses a white and orange school bus, whose unique colour scheme catches the eye. We'd go so far as to say the bus is locally famous; if you live in Richmond, you know the one we're talking about.

The bus also holds a special place in Christmas Fund lore. Each year, RPC Child Care fills it with toys and brings it to the Richmond RCMP Toy Drive. The bus's arrival has become a highlight of the event, with volunteers, RCMP officers, elected officials, and RPC families all gathering to help unload the donations.

That alone would be enough to make RPC Child Care one of the Christmas Fund's biggest supporters. But there's more. Quietly, since 2017, the organization has donated nearly $35,000 to the Christmas Fund.

And so, when we see the bus, we think not only of RPC Child Care, but of our community's incredible generosity, which is often hidden in plain view.

McDonald's always shows up for the Christmas Fund - sometimes quite literally! For example, they're a longtime sponsor of the Richmond RCMP Toy Drive, where they give out coffee and muffins to participants.

On other occasions, showing up means supporting our volunteers. As far back as we can remember, McDonald's has provided Christmas Fund volunteers with coupons, so they can enjoy fries or a Big Mac after their shift.

Then there's McHappy Day, in May. Our organization - and thus the Christmas Fund - is one of the beneficiaries, kindly chosen by local McDonald's owners Bill and Yolanda Chao. This year, we received $6,250!

And so, when it comes to our partnership with McDonald's, let's just say we're lovin' it!

After 15 years, you'd think the momentum would fade. Not with the Realtor Challenge, though, because its momentum comes from the heart. 

For the past decade and a half, Patti Martin has led an annual fundraising campaign in support of the Richmond Christmas Fund. Realtors from across the community participate, each making a donation. Many have been doing so from the very start, back in 2011.

This year, they raised an incredible $13,120 (more donations came in after this photo was taken!), which pushes their overall total well past $180,000. That means, on the conservative end, Richmond Realtors are directly responsible for giving at least 1,000 families a festive, joyful holiday celebration. They could stop right now, having built a remarkable legacy. And yet, they're still going strong, because giving from the heart creates its own momentum.

For all his magic, Santa can't control the weather. So yes, the 11th Annual Richmond RCMP Toy Drive, held November 22 at Lansdowne Centre, was rainier than we might have hoped. But you know what? It didn't matter. 

The community, as always, came out to support the Christmas Fund, donating tons of amazing toys for children in need. Sure, there was rain, but there was also ball hockey and Santa and mini donuts and so much generosity.

We'd like to thank, above all, the Richmond RCMP for continuing this much loved and truly inspiring holiday tradition. It's a monumental effort, one that's had a profound impact on the Christmas Fund and the people we help.

Thank you, as well, to all of the participants, volunteers, and sponsors for giving the event its signature festive feeling. The North Pole has got nothing on Richmond!

On November 18, for the fourth straight year, the team at ASPAC Developments doubled their generosity - not only volunteering with the Christmas Fund, but also making a $2,000 donation!

Their help, while always appreciated, was especially important this year, as we've decided to revamp our Toy Room and implement a new sorting system. The ASPAC volunteers immediately understood our plan and began categorizing items accordingly. Efficient and detail-oriented, they made incredible progress!

Our hope is that, by re-organizing the Toy Room, we can better distribute donations, ensuring that every child receives the same value of toys and books. It's a positive change, and ASPAC played a huge part in making it happen.

Don't get us wrong: volunteering with the Christmas Fund is an awesome experience. Rarely, however, does it resemble a holiday movie, with festive decorations, musical montages, magical elves, and just the right amount of snow. It's much more grounded than that.

Take, for example, our Toy Room set up day, where volunteers unloaded a shipping container of toys, shelves, and supplies. We want to say there was a slight chill in the air, as snowflakes began lightly falling from the sky. In reality, though, it was pouring rain and pretty miserable. Even so, our volunteers - including a group of students from Kwantlen Polytechnic University - worked through the morning and got the job done. Their time and effort may not be the stuff of Hollywood or Hallmark, but to us - and our community - it was magic just the same.

There are many ways to support the Richmond Christmas Fund, from volunteering to making monetary donations to organizing toy drives. It's always cool, though, when a local business or community group finds a unique way to give back. Sirota's Alchymy is definitely in that category.

This year, the Steveston-based martial arts and life skills centre has donated 12 scholarships to the Christmas Fund, together valued at $20,000. Intended for children and youth between the ages of 7 and 16, each scholarship is for six months of martials arts classes and includes a uniform. We'll be giving them out to Christmas Fund families later this holiday season. What a wonderful, unexpected gift, made possible by a generous, community-minded business!

This year, one of the Richmond Christmas Fund's earliest donations came from Gilmore Park United Church, who generously gave $5,000 to help brighten the holidays for families in need. The gift is made even more special because it caps off a decade of support: since 2016, Gilmore Park has donated over $30,000 to the Christmas Fund!

While we're incredibly grateful for this long-term partnership, it's just one part of the church's broader Sharing the Wealth initiative, through which Gilmore Park supports over a dozen organizations working to meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents. It's an inspiring example of community giving that's rooted in faith and fellowship.