Dreaming of Festive Holidays
Winnipeg, MB – Ally Beauchesne was moved when she heard a friend’s story about her family gratefully receiving a hamper of food when she was a child. It was heartbreaking to imagine parents unable to provide at least one nice meal for their children on Christmas day.
In 2020, this Sutton REALTOR® launched her own grassroots hamper drive. It has grown each year, and, this past December, Ally, her husband, and a team of volunteers delivered more than 50 hampers containing all the fixings for holiday meals.
“We received donations from so many people and groups in the Winnipeg area,” Ally says. “My Sutton brokerage donated enough funds and food for five hampers to feed five very large families. The general community donated the rest, and my friends and family helped me organize, shop, pack and deliver hampers.”
To promote the cause, Ally has explored every avenue, particularly social media. “What worked well for me was telling people exactly what they were donating to. I would find a great deal at a grocery store and would post on social media something like ‘Pasta sauce is on sale for $1.50/jar this week, and we need 70 jars. If you could donate towards a jar or two, that would be great.’”
Social media has allowed her to build a community of people eager to make a difference. Donations have ranged in value from $5 to $2,000.
To help her reach families in need, while respecting their privacy, Ally has relied on the Christmas Cheer Board as well as another organization called Inspire Community Outreach. “They work directly with families and can nominate those who really need a bit of support, especially around the holidays.”
It is never too early to step up. If you would like to learn more, or donate to this hamper drive, please email allyb@sutton.com or connect with her via Instagram @findyourhomewithally, which is where she posts project updates.
Sutton is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated company with more than 6,500 REALTORS® in over 200 offices nationwide. To find out more about Sutton, visit www.sutton.com. To learn more about Sutton Spirit, visit www.suttonspirit.com.
—————————————————————————-
Sutton Group - Kilkenny Real Estate:
Ally Beauchesne
204-475-9130
allyb@sutton.com
Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd.:
Maria Castro
604-691-1689
stories@suttonspirit.com