Rudolph in July

Did you know that 1 in every 4 children in Toronto is living in low income conditions? According to Holiday Helpers, Toronto has the highest rate of child poverty in all of Canada’s urban centres. The parents of these children struggle to provide their families with the common necessities like warm clothing, winter boots, basic household needs, food, and toys.Holiday Helpers is on a mission to support low income children by providing their families with necessary items, like warm clothing and grocery gift cards. The organization was started by sisters Sarah and April Rutka in 1996, when they simply wanted to help out a local Brampton family. Since then, the goodwill has spread beyond their local community to the rest of the Greater Toronto Area.In 2017, Holiday Helpers will be sponsoring over 1250 low income children.I am always happy to support charities like Holiday Helpers. I personally believe that all children deserve a great start and solid foundation in life, and helping them in any way possible is not only a duty for those more fortunate, but also a privilege. It’s wonderful that Holiday Helpers aims to make the festive season that much brighter for low-income families, but they also do so much more by providing warm clothing, household items, grocery gift cards, and a sense of normalcy.This year I’m participating in the #RudolphinJuly campaign, which aims to bring awareness to this worthy cause. Join me in donating if you can, and check out more of the campaign on social media!Here’s a story of a local family that Holiday Helpers was able to support:"Faith is a single mother with a 3-year-old son and 7-month-old twins.  She fled violence in Nigeria and has claimed refugee status. Starting out in a new country is difficult.  The kitchen items she received, toaster, blender and microwave, have made it easier for her to care for her three small children.  The books she and her children received are helping her learn English which will allow her to better provide for her family.  And since this is the first winter they have experienced, the winter clothes were a blessing.  “Please let the family know that I am wearing the wonderful warm boots I received on this cold day.” "Holiday Helpers is a registered charity in Canada.