Le Pignon Bleu donated $125,000 in food and gifts to 200 families in Quebec, equaling last year’s record. But nearly a hundred others will have to be helped otherwise, for lack of resources in the face of the excessive demand.
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“We were lucky this year. We were afraid of having a huge drop in donations because of inflation, but people were generous. The amount raised is similar to that of last year,” says Roseline Roussel, Executive Director of the organization.
Each Christmas basket has a minimum value of $650 – adjusted according to the size of the family – and includes groceries that are supposed to last a month, enough to bring smiles during this difficult time for many.
“It’s a priceless gift, it’s so wonderful. We’re feeling the price hike everywhere right now, it just doesn’t make sense. It’s heartwarming to see all the help we’re getting,” says Marie-Claude Gladu, who takes care of her son living with autism spectrum disorder alone.
needs too great
The latter was also moved to tears when the federal deputy Jean-Yves Duclos and the cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix sang a Christmas carol, their arms full of presents for her and her son.
But not everyone was so lucky. The Pignon Bleu unfortunately could not meet all the requests this year.
“There are really more needs, we had to refuse nearly a hundred families. It breaks our hearts, but we will try to help them in other ways when they return from the holidays,” explains Ms. Roussel.
Pay it forward
On Sunday morning, around 600 volunteers lent a hand to the Pignon Bleu to bring all these foodstuffs to families in need.
Some of them, like Alain Rioux, have been involved for decades.
“When I started, 22 years ago, we only helped about ten families! I grew up in a tougher neighborhood, so I know what it’s like. Today, I give back because life has been good to me,” he says.
In addition to Mr. Duclos and Bishop Lacroix, several other dignitaries, such as municipal councilors Pierre-Luc Lachance, Jean-François Gosselin and Bianca Dussault, pitched in to offer a sweeter Christmas to people in need.