They do it for the children.
Every year, Burnaby’s eight Scotiabank branches help collect hundreds of toys for the Burnaby Christmas Bureau, through the Angel Project. Their efforts help ensure fewer local children go without gifts during the holidays.
“It’s to ensure the magic of Christmas is created and experienced by everyone in the community,” said central branch manager Cheryl Westgard. “We do it for the children.”
And they’ve been doing it for more than a decade. Roughly 13 years, Scotiabank started helping the Christmas Bureau, which makes sure children from low-income families have toys on Dec. 25 and seniors are provided with hampers of gifts and food.
Scotiabank’s contribution started with the employees, who decided to donate to the bureau instead of exchanging gifts with each other. Then they got involved with the Angel Project, one of many ways to give to the Burnaby Christmas Bureau, which is facilitated by Burnaby Community Services. The non-profit organization supplies people with “angel” cards, which are often displayed in the workplace or a public area. Each card has a name and age of a typical (but not actual) child that would be registered with the bureau. People can choose a card and buy a toy for that child, and the specific age and gender information helps ensure the toy room is stocked for children from every demographic. The Christmas Bureau asks that people spend at least $25 on the toy, which should be unwrapped.
At Scotiabank, the cards are usually hung on the wall or a Christmas tree at each of the eight Burnaby branches. The Angel Project is also a way to inspire generosity with the banks clients, as customers can choose a card and donate a toy.
“They like it,” Westgard said. “We certainly bring it to their attention, and some clients are asking for it because we do it every year.”
By the second week in December, all the cards are gone, Westgard said.
The bank brings in an estimated 200 toys annually, which is often more than the number of angel cards displayed, as clients may buy two toys or just use the branches as a drop-off location.
When the bank was overwhelmed with toys, Westgard asked local firefighters to help deliver them to the bureau’s toy room. What started as a favour has turned into an annual practice, with the firefighters volunteering to deliver the goods to the Christmas Bureau’s toy room. The collaboration also inspired an annual pancake breakfast with the firefighters that started last year.
This year’s pancake breakfast is on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. People who donate a new, unwrapped toy or cash can enjoy a pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. in the hotel’s ballroom, and for those in a hurry to get to work, there’s a drive-thru option from 6 to 9 a.m. in the valet parking area, with coffee and muffins from McDonald’s. This year, Breakfast Television plans to broadcast their morning show from the pancake breakfast event, according to Westgard.
When asked why they do it, Westgard talks about the bank’s values – being engaged with the community and supporting the area where the employees live, work and play. But there’s more to it than that.
“Christmas is time to create the magic,” Westgard said.
How to be an angel
To organize an Angel Project in your school or workplace, first decide how many angel cards you would like.
Assign a contact person for your group who can coordinate with Burnaby Community Services.
Go to www.burnabycommunityconnections.com, and select Angel Project, and click on Download Angel Project Information. Fill out the application and fax it to 604-299-3755, or email it to [email protected] or drop it off at 2055 Rosser St. For more information, call Joyce at 604-292-3906.
