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It’s Advent Giving Tree time again and the Tomato Ladies are honoured to be the recipients of your generosity.  

Here’s what we do with the donations we receive:  We continue with our monthly dinner programme at the Lighthouse Emergency Shelter.  As well as preparing and serving dinner, we periodically provide a gift to each resident in attendance. The gift bag is filled with items that they can use while they are in their temporary home. We assure you that the gifts are very much appreciated!

The shelter now houses forty men and it is usually a full house!  In previous times the men would turn over about every thirty days.  This is no longer possible due to lack of affordable housing, and we now have some residents who have been at the shelter for more than a year.  As a result, they are very familiar with our dinners, and it has become something special for them to look forward to.  This means the number who attend our events has also increased!

We are hoping you will help us fill the men’s gift bags by bringing new items as follows over the four weeks in Advent:

Week 1 – Entertainment - items to help distract and pass the time  

  • Crossword, Sudoku, Word Search books
  • Decks of playing cards and card games
  • Movie gift certificates 

Week 2– Warmth– at this time of year these items are particularly appreciated

  • Men’s hats, gloves, mitts and scarves
  • Tim Horton’s cards for warm beverages

Week 3 – Treats

  • $5 Gift Cards from Tim Horton’s (they love their coffee)
  • Chocolate bars, small bags of chips, nuts, etc.

Week 4 – Toiletries – so nice to have your own supplies

  • Shampoo (small/medium sized bottles are best)
  • Deodorant
  • Shaving cream
  • Lip balm
  • Toothpaste (we have lots of toothbrushes)

Thank you so much!

Serving Our Neighbours
The Tomato Ladies