Blessings this New Year Season!
The start of a new year is full of hope and expectation! However, it can also be a time of great anxiety, especially for families facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies. This New Year season, join students at University of Ottawa as they ring in 2025 with HOPE and LOVE this year!
What is it?
A fun, family-friendly celebration complete with games, food, and a movie! But that's not all. This year's festivities will also feature the Baby Box Initiative, a gift-giving program inspired by Operation Christmas Child.
How does it work?
Throughout December, and January, we will be collecting lightly used donations at local Churches (see a list of participating Churches below). These gifts include toys, cloths, supplies, and anything else that can bless an expecting couple or new parents.
On January 24th, 2025, members of the community will be invited to join us for a festive celebration. Moreover, families facing a difficult or unplanned pregnancy will have an opportunity to receive gift boxes at our event! (There is also an option for anonymous drop off if families prefer).
How do I sign up?
We can't wait to see you! Simply fill out our form here to let us know you want to come, so we can send you the location (close to Univeristy of Ottawa, exact location tbd). Registering will also make sure we have enough food for everyone!
I want to help!
We can't do this alone! We're going to need help to facilitate this event effectively. Here's a few ways you can help make sure this event is a success!
1. Share the word!
Share the word with your church, your pastor, your priest, your friends, your family—anyone you know who might want to be involved! Ask your pastor or priest if they would be willing to set up a collection bin at your church. Email deyanne.sutcliffe@ncln.ca for more details on how to get one set up, or see the infographic below!
2. Donate!
There's a list of participating Churches below. Bring your lightly used donations to the nearest collection bin, and we'll take care of the rest! All donations are acceptable, as long as they're in good condition. Examples include (but aren't limited to):
-toys
-stuffies
-clothes
-blankets
-gift cards
-maternity clothes
-women's clothes
-men's clothes
3. Volunteer!
We need volunteers to help make everything run smoothly! Volunteers can help us:
Collect Donations (January 23): collect the donations from near by churches.
Donation box filling (January 23): Join a gift box filling team! We will put the donation gifts into gift boxes for the families to receive!
Serving food (January 24): Simply help serve food to our guests at the event!
Distributing gift boxes to guests (January 24): We will have a reception table set up at the event for families to come collect their gifts. Your job is just to make sure each family gets their box, which will match their Gift Receipt.