The folks at Monarch Place are hard at work planning their annual Christmas party and would welcome donations for women and children who've come through their doors for assistance through the years.
Monarch Place, a transition house for women and children fleeing violence, holds a Christmas party each year for all the women who have stayed at the home.
It's hoping to put together a gift bag for each guest attending the party to ensure everyone will have a Christmas present this year.
"Dec. 5, 6, and 7 is when we pack our Christmas packages," said Roshni Vedmanikam of Monarch Place. "We are asking for donations."
Items such as new toys and women's items like scarves and gloves would be greatly appreciated.
"We have a Christmas party. We usually get about 250 women and children to come to that," Vedmanikam said. "It's all the families who have stayed with us. It is almost like a reunion."
The party is also a good chance for Monarch Place staff to check in with the women and ensure that all is well.
"One woman started crying when she got her gift last year," Vedmanikam recalled about the woman who had immigrated to Canada. "It's a big deal for us to be able to do that. She had never had a Christmas."
According to Vedmanikam, about 80 per cent of the women who attend the party are on income assistance or have low incomes. The event includes food for guests and activities for the kids.
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