Become a Sponsor
We are still seeking sponsors for the 2023 holiday season!
Welcome Elves!
This year we have some exciting news to share! Our program will be now known as Holiday Hope; helping families and seniors thrive this season! The main core and values of this program remain and we are so grateful to help facilitate your generosity and magical spirit back into our community.
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Our ability to serve the community this coming holiday season will only be possible with your ongoing enthusiasm and support. We have a huge task in front of us again this year. So, to our returning sponsors, we say thank you for reaching out to us! And to those who are new to our program, we welcome you warmly! The Holiday Team at St. Matthew’s House is very excited to see what this year will bring.
There are three ways for you to donate to the Holiday Hope Program.
- You can adopt a specific family or senior. We will match you with a family or senior and provide you with their specific wish list. You’ll have the fun of purchasing gifts, boxing them and bringing them to us ready to distribute. The estimated cost to adopt a family with two children is about $350 including roughly $100 per child for clothing and toys plus $150 for the grocery gift card for the family’s holiday meal. To sponsor a senior, we suggest about $125 including a $50 grocery gift card and $75 for a gift and clothing.
- You can also help by donating a variety of gift cards or by making a monetary donation. This method helps ensure that all families and seniors get sponsored, especially those last minute Emergency Appointments.
- You may simply choose to donate NEW clothing and toys. These items go to families or seniors who come to us after registration ends or for the Emergency Appointments.
Any clothing, toys, gift cards, other items or monetary donations left at the end of the season goes towards supporting our Senior Services Program and beyond. Throughout the year, the Seniors Program supports vulnerable, at-risk seniors who need assistance with housing, food security, isolation or who are in crisis. For example, any surplus from the holiday program will help us ensure that a client who just received housing, has sheets for their bed, a lamp, or a fridge full of groceries when they move in. So even after the holiday season ends you can be assured that your generous donations will help us reach so many.
Should you decide to sponsor a family or senior, please fill out a Sponsor Application and email it back to us. The information you included will help us match you correctly.
We are already so excited about the upcoming holiday season. It is because of you, your team, friends and family that we at St. Matthew’s House are able to make the Holiday Hope Program bigger and better every year!
With much anticipation for the upcoming Holiday Season,
Madeleine Bond
Holiday Hope Program Coordinator
holidays@stmatthewshouse.ca
Work: 905-523-5546 ext 260
Work Cell: 905-746-2394
Sponsorship FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Sponsor Application Details
Be sure to let us know whether you will be sponsoring a family and/or senior by checking the appropriate box. If you chose a family, be sure to indicate how many children you wish to sponsor. Our team does a great job matching you to the perfect family or senior. We try our best to accommodate all requests (e.g., two boys ages 3-7) but we don’t ever know who is going to reach out to us for assistance each year.
Once a match is made, we will send you an email with a wish list. It will include the age, sex and clothing size of each child, along with three clothing and three toy/gift items requested. The list is there only as a guide. You are free to purchase things as you see fit. When you are ready, simply drop off your gifts to us to distribute to the families and seniors. Please do not wait until the last day for drop-off. We are here all of December and the elves are extremely excited to start the season! Please refer to the map for our location and drop off dates and times.
Grocery Gift Cards
Each hamper should include a grocery gift card, clothing and a toy or gift for each child or senior. We ask that you provide a grocery gift card based on the family’s size and their preferred location to help with their dietary needs.
For example, the grocery gift card amount should be for:
- Parents + 1 child = $125.00
- Parents + 2 children = $150.00
- Parents + 3 children = $175.00
- Parents + 4+ children = $200.00
- One Senior = $50.00
- Two Seniors = $100.00
What To Put Gifts In
Families and seniors LOVE laundry baskets, because who couldn’t use an extra one. You can also use a sturdy box, Rubbermaid Bin, laundry bin or strong bag. Please use at least one of these items as it helps with deliveries for seniors and for keeping all of the families gifts together and organized.
Names & Personal Information
We love it when items are personalized, but due to confidentiality laws and out of respect for the dignity and privacy of everyone involved, we cannot disclose any names. If you wish to include a card, we request that no last names or identifying features are on it.
Treats
Stocking stuffers, candy and treats are so sweet! But if you would like to include any treats in your hamper, please do not include anything homemade or anything with nuts!
Gifts For Parents
We often get asked about including gifts for parents. Due to space limitations and other concerns, we do not gather specific information about parents. However, if you wish to include something for them, we suggest dinner/food gift cards, movie passes, department store gift cards or bath products. We are also asking families and seniors this year if they have a pet and will list it if that information is given.
Tax Receipt Information
We gladly offer a gift-in-kind tax receipt for your donation to the Holiday Hope Program. Please submit your receipts (preferably original but copies will work too) when dropping off your hamper. Put receipts in an envelope and label it with your contact information. A gentle reminder to everyone, the tax receipts will reflect net amounts only. They will not include any taxes and/or shipping, etc.
If there is a group donation, we can send you a group in-kind form to fill out. The form tracks each person who donated and how much they gave. This will help ensure that each donor is receipted appropriately. Please ensure that receipts are included and the contact information is listed for each person. To be able to issue a tax receipt we do require name and address as per CRA rules.
Receipts from everything purchased is required. If you have any questions regarding the receipts, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
We very much appreciate all the individuals, groups, teams and parishes that come together to make our Holiday Hope Program a success. Every year, we are overwhelmed with families and seniors reaching out to us for help. With all of your support we are able to make a magical memory for each and every one of them.
Wrapping Gifts
For Families
We ask that the gifts in the hamper come unwrapped. This practice helps to ensure that gifts are all new and appropriate. However, in the past, some parents have told us that they like to have a part in making things special for their children. If you would like, you can include wrapping paper, tape or bows. Of course, you can decorate the hamper itself.
For Seniors
You can wrap senior gifts if you wish. But it is not necessary. Please remember that they may require assistance opening them so make the wrapping easy to remove. As with the family packages, hampers or grocery bags can be decorated.
Drop Off Dates and Location
Gift Drop-Off Hours
Between December 4th – 16th
Monday – Friday
10am – 3pm
Extended Hours
Saturday, December 9th
10am – 5pm
Saturday, December 16th
10am – 5pm
Gift Drop-Off Location
Sons of Italy Building
499 King Street East
Hamilton, ON
Sponsorship Registration Form
Online registration is now closed. If you are still interested in sponsoring a family or senior, please contact us directly at holidays@stmatthewshouse.ca.