When the Igloolik hamper team started planning for community Christmas Hampers they were hopeful, but worried. The goal seemed daunting – fundraise $14K to fund groceries, and run a Toy Drive. We were hoping those initiatives would provide 300 Christmas Hampers, all stuffed with the fixin’s needed to prepare Christmas dinner, and include at least one toy for each child.
Elder Marie Airut, identified need in the community and helped Dana Barker Sheaves set a strategy. Feeding Nunavut’s Taye Newman and Dana began fundraising. They reached out to their networks, and deployed an online marketing campaign to spread the word that toys and funding were needed. The support received back was overwhelming. People from across North America, and as far away as Germany, contributed to the Grocery Fundraiser and Toy Drives!
Related: 2016 Christmas Card to Igloolik and Giving Map of supporters
This incredible outpouring of support gave Marie and Dana the ability to bring the gift of Christmas to Igloolik in a more Inuit-centric way. They were able to add more food in each hamper, and share a hamper of food with every Inuk family in Igloolik. Sharing with everyone, is an important part of Inuit culture.
The Hampers …
Because of donations of money, the team was able to tap into the existing infrastructure that services the North. The Igloolik Co-op worked with Arctic Co-operatives to purchase groceries, maximize the Nutrition North subsidy and organize logistics of the entire project. Thank you to the Igloolik Co-op Manager and all staff for their incredible donation of time and hard work!
The country food; Arctic Char and Caribou was donated by the Hamlet. It was all sourced locally using Igloolik fishers and hunters! We are especially appreciative of the hunters that had to travel far to the designated Caribou hunting area.
Every child, 12 years and under received a toy! Thank you to all that contributed to our Toy Drive by mailing a new, unwrapped toy or supporting our fundraiser to purchase the remaining toys needed. These remaining toys were purchased from the local Igloolik Co-op at discount. There were two boxes of toys left over that will be used for Christmas games!
“You could feel the alleviation of stress in the community.” – Dana Barker Sheaves
Marie and Dana led a team of 25 volunteers from the Hamlet, school and community. The team worked incredibly hard. They sorted, wrapped and stuffed until a total of 348 Christmas Hampers were filled to the brim with all the fixin’s needed to prepare Christmas dinner and included some extra food to be shared through out the holidays! Thank you volunteers! You guys rock!
Hampers were delivered to Elders, residents of the Continuing Care Facility and those that could not make it to the pick-up, by the Igloolik Coop and Igloolik Housing Association. The rest of the community was invited to drop by the Community Center to pick-up their hamper. The Christmas spirit quickly enveloped the group at the Community Center, who randomly burst into Christmas songs and greetings as they waited in line!
“Qujannamiik”
In addition to taking to local radio to express gratitude, Igloolik residents also posted messages on social media.
Qulaut Message of Appreciation - Feeding Nunavut - January 2017 (2)
Gifts of Time, Love and Charity are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.
