MyCityCare Okotoks is offering a personal shopping experience for families that need a helping hand this holiday season.
The organization’s Shop of Wonders provides gifts for children, with personal shopping appointments for parents starting on Nov. 27.
Including stocking stuffers, parents can pick out six unwrapped gifts per child, and volunteers will be on hand to wrap them and help take them out to the car in a wagon. Childcare is provided as parents shop.
“We come alongside people who need a hand up,” said Lorna Jewer, director of MyCityCare Okotoks. “It’s all totally free."
Last year, the organization helped 348 families and a total of 874 children.
“This year, we’re expecting an increase,” she said.
MyCityCare is also looking for volunteers to help with the campaign for tasks like greeting people as they come in, check-in and gift wrapping.
Having a lot of volunteers on hand helps make a welcoming atmosphere, she said.
“We try to have a lot of volunteers out, it helps with people being shy and coming in, asking for help," she said.
Toy donations for Shop of Wonders are being collected at a long list of businesses in Okotoks, and are being accepted until Dec. 16.
“I have a list of 18 drop-off box locations at the moment,” she said, adding that it's not too late for a business to become a toy drop-off location.
Current drop-off locations for unwrapped toys include: Foothills Cleaners, MainStreet Market and More, Thrive Chiropractic, Loop Kids Consignment, Brown Sugar Bake Shoppe, McFarlane Agencies, Alberta Dance Academy, Canadian Brewhouse, Momentum Physical Therapy, Okotoks PreSchool Academy, Staples, Pure Envy Salon and Spa, Built Strong Evolution, F45, Yooneek Books, Complete Health, MCG Careers, High River Toyota and Dynamic Physiotherapy.
Another way for businesses or agencies to help is by organizing a toy drive, she said.
Sponsorship opportunities are available, and there are several options for businesses or organizations that would like to get involved.
An open house is being held at the MyCityCare Okotoks office in Bighorn Place, located at 106 Southbank Rd., on Sunday, Nov. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. for businesses and agencies to learn more about the program.
Organizations are invited to attend to “learn about MyCityCare, and how you can partner with us to make Shop of Wonders our best year yet,” Jewer said.
To register for Shop of Wonders, or for volunteer opportunities, visit parallelchurch.com/programs/mycitycare/.
For sponsorship or other inquiries, email [email protected].
