When John happened to drive past the Newmarket Thrift Store in Ontario on a recent trip, he decided to pull over, make a $5,000 donation to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Campaign, and continue his way home.
John was raised in a small city in the East coast as the youngest child in his family. He has fond memories of Christmases growing up, but only recently learned of the role The Salvation Army played in his life.
“I wanted to give back because we were so influenced by what happened for us and our family at this time of year.” – John
“My mother benefitted from a lot of Salvation Army services when we were kids, but I didn’t know about any of that,” John recalls. “When I learned this, I wanted to give back because we were so influenced by what happened for us and our family at this time of year.”
One particular Christmas stands out for John, when he received a bicycle as a gift. It wasn’t until much later that his older sisters told John that the bicycle came from The Salvation Army’s annual Christmas hamper program.
This program enables individuals and families in need to access food and toys free of charge to ensure that, regardless of circumstance, all children can wake up on Christmas morning with presents under the tree.
“I wanted to donate because it’s getting close to Christmas,” says John. “I saw the sign and said, ‘there’s one right there, let me just go in and see what I can do’.”
John’s remarkable act of kindness and generosity will allow other underprivileged children and families to experience the same joyous excitement he remembers feeling so many years ago. To learn more about The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle campaign, please click here.