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~LIFESTYLES undreds of volunteers will have to work H harder than ever this vear if the House of Fnendships Chnstmas Hamper program is to meet an increasing need in the community. The agency‘s development director Brian Hunsâ€" berger reported this week that demand for emerâ€" gency food and shelter has inc reased considerably wer the past two months Therefore, he expects this vears Chnstmas Hamper program will be the buwest the organization has seen since that last pa can needing get by x ernmen enue hy other tha annua revenue d of Enendship is countâ€" ing of members of the community to pitch in Hunsberger says the agency hopes to raise $300.000 this month to reach its annual fundâ€" raising goal of $500,000 December is typiâ€" cally the big month for us in terms of donations that we get from individuals. churches. corporations, and community groups. So we‘re making an appeal now during the Christmas season for donations Hopefully. we will be able to offset some of that (reducâ€" ton in government revenue) through increased donations." Hunsberger says e s H We re seeing some good signs and we‘re hopeful we‘ll get a good response Based on the success of the United Way campaign, we‘re hopeful that‘s an indication that the community might be inclined to be more generous. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have jobs realize that there is higher level of need this year." ormmunity urged to give y since March of 1993 he tw a primary indicators (that needs in the munity are increasing" are occupancy in our rgencs mens hostel and requests for emerâ€" v jood hampers." Hunsberger says. "We view e to he two Lurly fundamental indicators in is ol level of need in the community." unsbefger savs It is hard to say with any cerâ€" tv what is causing the current increase in and on House of Fnendships services, but he ects recent cuts in sdcial assistance are having socitl assistance are taking their toll," R Cns the big cost that people have, _ Richelle Hart (left) and Carla Saund a moving out of existing accommodaâ€" _ school students, all members of the illordabJduy reasons They‘re either being _ ity group, who helped pack Christm t voluntanils moving out because they nger alford to stay where they were living, Also, with our Through the House of id emergency food hamper program, there has been an _ it is expected that 3,500 n demand from October to November, and there nor families and individua uldnt be. looking at past patterns. that kind of increase _ Christmas hampers wer & (wo months. So theres nothing that would explain that *We distributed a litt in the fact that people are running out of money and are _ significantly from the ye + resort more to emergency food services time, things looked a litt same time those on social assistance are struggling to . ically speaking, we were ith less so is the House of Friendship â€" recent govâ€" _ and demands on our em expenditure cutbacks have reduced the agency‘s rev and it was looking a bit $90 000 on an fed hasis 30 64 «0+ & & «/*~> 2} _ "Our suspicion, obviously, is c down use n "oc: _ that some of the cutbacks nembers of the & + & i nmopienln in social assistance are _ rger says the i s 9 pred) tnce taking their toll. N i > & o ifartany â€" BRIAN HUNSBERGER s annual fundâ€" lod «t asAL NT HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP her of emergency food hampers disâ€" t month was 2 293, up 20 per cent er and up 34 per cent from September. vember occupancy at the agency‘s 1. a 3Yâ€"hed shelter, averaged 40 men p 11 per cent from October November t month the hostel averaged full occuâ€" The holiday spiril Deborah Crandall sslOn Chromicle Staff Richelle Hart (left) and Carla Saunders were among 14 Sunnyside public school students, all members of the school‘s Kids Assisting Others charâ€" ity group, who helped pack Christmas hampers in St. Jacobs Monday. as emergency food demand grows Through the House of Fniendship Chnistmas Hamper Program, it is expected that 3,500 hampers will be distmbuted to local needy families and individuals this holiday season. Last year 2,877 Christmas hampers were distributed "We distributed a little over 2,800 last year, which was down significantly from the year before: So l think last year at Chnstmas time, things looked a little bit better," Hunsberger says. "Economâ€" ically speaking, we were kind of out of the worst of the recession, and demands on our emergency services were down a bit last year and it was looking a bit more optimistic. But this year, we seem to be back to recession levels in terms of 0 40 _ demand for those services." CC ait 22. Food has either been donated by “ » individuals, community groups, and oll. corporations; provided by the Food â€" Bank of Waterloo Region; or purâ€" | HUNSBERGER chased by House of Frglr:ndshlp i\)Mlh F FRIENDSHIP _ financial donations. Also purchased and included in the food hampers are vouchers for fresh food items such as meat and vegetables Hunsberger suggests service organizations, church groups, classrooms, businesses, and other members of the community could sponsor a Christmas Hamper for a needy family by offering House of Frendship a $50 donation (the estimated value of one hamper) Donations can be hand delivered or mailed to House of Friendship, 63 Charles St E.. Kitchener, Ont , N2G 493 _ Also, volunteers with vehicles are neéded to deliver hampers Those interested in volunteering with the House of Fnendship Chistmas Hamper program can call the St. Jacobs firehall at 664â€" 3930 In the St Jacobs firehall, volunteers are busy packing food hampers, the delivery of which will commence tomorrow and continue through Dec if Petals & POLS inc. _Flower & Gift Shop Gary Miller ?;x'r" » . 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