Volunteers help Veterans Food Bank prepare and deliver more than 300 Christmas hampers across the city

Volunteers came together on Saturday to provide a much-needed gift to veterans in need ahead of Christmas. Tyler Barrow reports.

A large turnout of volunteers helped deliver more than 300 personalized Christmas hampers to veterans Saturday.

It was part of the Veterans Association Food Bank’s Seventh Annual Christmas Hampers Deliveries, and each hamper was custom designed down to whether recipients had a pet or not.

“We’ll have about 100 children’s gifts we’re going to deliver today and about 50, 60 pet gifts so each veteran or their veteran’s family will get a hamper today,” said Chris Lefaivre, the chair of the Veterans Food Bank.

Lefaivre said the hampers, which volunteers helped assemble and delivery, were badly needed.

“The need (in 2025) has been exceptional,” Lefaivre said. “Last year I think it (demand) was slightly lower and this year, we’re seeing higher demand. It’s really important that we set our veterans up, and families up, with a proper hamper.”

He said all sorts of veterans received hampers, including older veterans, peacekeepers and veterans who served in Afghanistan.

Many of the volunteers included veterans and their families, including Ryan Preston, who came dressed in a Santa outfit.

“It’s very heartwarming,” Preston said. “It’s my way of still serving. Seeing veterans struggle and their families struggle, it’s heart wrenching.

“So for us to be able to give them a little bit of hope or a little bit of Christmas just warms my heart,” he added.

“I’m still serving, but not in camo,” he said. “I’m serving in a Santa uniform.”

One volunteer was Ray Cameron, who joined up as a 17-year-old still in high school and served 39 and a half years in the armed forces, including stints in all three branches.

When Cameron had administrative problems with his retirement after receiving a medical release on May 31, 2023, he said the Veterans Food Bank stepped in to bridge the gap while his benefits were being processed.

He said the Veterans Food Bank not only provides essentials like food, but also offers former veterans a community.

“When a forces member retires, you leave a very unique comprehensive fabric where everybody looks after your back,” he said. “When you leave the service, you don’t have that anymore.

“You’ve got to find a way to reintegrate,” he said.

“In a way, even though I’m no longer in military, this place gives you a sense of belonging,” he said.

“When you’re single and alone – that’s my perspective – it’s a little more challenging.

“The love here is never-ending,“ he said. ”The mutual support. It gives us a purpose greater than ourselves.”

For more about the Veteran’s Food Bank, go here.

With files from CTV’s Tyler Barrow