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.jpg?sfvrsn=3d825349_6 "Richmond RCMP Toy Drive")
The Richmond Christmas Fund is a non-religious, non-discriminatory program. We assist individuals and families living in Richmond, BC, who are facing financial hardship and cannot afford a holiday celebration.
The Christmas Fund provides eligible individuals and families with grocery vouchers: one per family member, up to a maximum of four vouchers per household. In addition, families with children aged 11 and under may choose gifts for their children from our Toy Room. Finally, youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are given gift cards.
This year, the Richmond Christmas Fund is moving to Lansdowne Centre, located at 5300 No. 3 Road. From November 15 to December 9, we'll be in unit 408, right next to ICBC and easily accessible from the mall's east entrance, near Toys R Us.
Christmas Fund registration, as well as grocery voucher and toy distribution, will all take place at Lansdowne. Please do not go to our previous location, at the Richmond Caring Place, as we will not be able to serve you there.
To receive assistance from the Christmas Fund, you must bring the following documents when you register:
• Picture ID for yourself
• CareCards for all family members being registered
• Proof of Richmond residency, such as a hydro bill, rent receipt, driver’s license, BCID, or BC Services Card
• An original document that proves you are currently enrolled in at least one of the following government income assistance programs:
• BC Disability Assistance
Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits will not be accepted
• BC Housing Rental Assistance Program
• Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters
• Try to prepare your documents as early as possible. This will ensure that, if a document is missing, you'll have time to contact the appropriate agency and get a replacement.
• All documents must be current. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm your eligibility with outdated documentation.
• If you or members of your household are enrolled in multiple income assistance programs, it's helpful to have documentation for all of them. The more information you provide, the more easily we can assess your eligibility.
• You will not qualify for assistance without the required documentation. If you have questions about your eligibility or any of your documents, please call 604-279-7035 or e-mail christmasadmin@rcrg.org.
This year, Christmas Fund registration will be held in-person at our new Lansdowne Centre location. From November 15 to December 9, we'll be in unit 408, right next to ICBC and easily accessible from the mall's east entrance, near Toys R Us.
Once you've prepared the required documents, you can come during any of our registration times, listed below, and a volunteer will assess your eligibility. If you qualify for assistance, you'll be given your allotment of grocery vouchers, toys, and gift cards on the same day you register. There's no need to return on a separate pick-up day.
Please note that we will not be open to the public outside of our registration times. If you have a question about the Christmas Fund, it's best to call us at 604-279-7035 or to email christmasadmin@rcrg.org.
Morning Registration: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Afternoon Registration: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Afternoon Registration: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Evening Registration: 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Wednesday registration sessions on November 29 and December 6 are cancelled. To access the Christmas Fund, please come on a Monday, Friday, or Saturday.
Morning Registration: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Afternoon Registration: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Registration: 10:00am - 1:00pm
• It isn't necessary for all family members to attend the registration session. One person can bring all of the required documents, and register on behalf of the entire household.
• If you have children aged 11 or under, you'll be able to select gifts from the Christmas Fund Toy Room. We'll provide you with bags, but the items may be large or heavy. Please ensure you have a means of taking them home with you, as you cannot pick up your items at a later date.
• If possible, we ask that you not bring any children when you register, as there might be long waits and little for them to do. Also, children are not allowed in the Toy Room, and we aren't able to provide supervision while you're choosing gifts.
• If you're not able to attend a registration session, you can give your documents to a friend or neighbour, and they can register on your behalf. In addition to your eligibility documents, please provide the person with a signed note, so we know they have permission to pick up your items.
Virtual registration and scheduled pick-up times were temporary measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that public health restrictions have eased, we're returning to our standard process of same-day registration and distribution.
This will allow us to operate the program at a larger scale, and ultimately help more people. From a client perspective, it also means that you can complete Christmas Fund registration and receive your items all at once, rather than returning on a separate pick-up day.
In addition, instead of receiving pre-packaged toy bags, parents will once again be able to select gifts for their children from the Christmas Fund Toy Room.
Definitely not. Whether you come on the first or last day, you'll receive the same number of grocery vouchers and gift cards.
As for toys, our selection changes based on the donations we receive. New donations come in throughout the holiday season, right up to the last day of registration. It's possible that, if you come on one of the later registration days, there will be more items to choose from, as we re-stock the Toy Room with new donations.
The registration process itself remains unchanged from previous years. We have the same eligibility criteria, and are requesting the same documentation.
The biggest difference is that, at Lansdowne, the Christmas Fund will be open for more days and longer hours. In addition to Saturdays, you now have the option of registering on certain weekday mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
We're hopeful that the extra days and extended hours will make individual registration sessions less busy, as clients attend throughout the week, rather than all coming on a Saturday.
That being said, we anticipate that there will still be lineups. To help limit their length, we ask that you not arrive early to your chosen registration session. Please come only during the designated registration times, when we have volunteers available to help you.
It's important that we're considerate of Lansdowne's other customers and tenants. If, at any point, the line for the Christmas Fund becomes too long or disruptive, we may temporarily halt service and ask clients to come back at a different time.
We can't control how many people show up on a given registration day, and neither can you! To minimize your wait time, we recommend not coming on Saturdays, and ensuring that you bring all of the correct documentation. No matter when you come, chances are, there will still be a lineup. Remember: everyone in line is there to receive help, just like you. Being patient and respectful with staff, volunteers, and fellow clients is the best way to help the program run smoothly and efficiently.
