Read Past Thank Yous
From Donors
"What an excellent program for families at Christmas in Guelph. Thanks to the many talented wonderful people.”
"You have the hard work: caring for Guelph's needy families all year, and especially at Christmas when expectations are high and so many have so little. Thank you for all the work you do, to make this foundation work. Our own family has been blessed with good fortune. We gave ourselves a different gift this year, the gift of giving to others. More importantly, our personal Christmas spirits were revived this year when we were able to give to those who wished for something and really needed it.
Again, thanks for all you do for this community. We will continue to support The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington.”
"My husband and I each have lived through poverty and deprivation at certain times in our lives. I was born in a very poor family in
From the Families
"We used to give to the Food Bank, and to our church, and to Operation Christmas Child. It is very tough to be on the receiving end this year, but we are so greatful that there are caring people out there with the means to help out when it is needed. Thank you and Merry Christmas to all involved with sharing the Christmas love."
"Thank you for your wonderful Christmas gifts. It brings my heart great joy to know that the world still houses good and loving people.”
"Thank you for making our Christmas absolutely wonderful! Children, whatever their age need to experience the wonder of Christmas day and to know life continues even when times are tough. You were able to give us the ability to continue to see light in our children’s eyes and faith that things can still stay the same when around them life is leaner. So, as well as enabling our family to enjoy the Christmas season, you also gave us as parents the gift of some continuity.
Still, you gave hope! Thank you for all of this. Our lives have sincerely been touched.”
"Our family would like to say a big thank you for the wonderful gifts you have given us this holiday season. As a single parent, money has always been an issue for me and my family. I have struggled to afford just the basics for my family with no support from anyone. We have been through many struggles in our lives, financially, physically and emotionally. So we are very thankful for your help this year. It means the world to us. If only we could repay you somehow but I hope that this letter and for us saying how much we appreciate your help will be enough.”
"When we received the gifts we were overwhelmed. We had no idea how kind and selfless a person could be to a complete stranger. The gifts were just what we needed (boots, coat, mitts) and many more unexpected gifts we will be sure to enjoy (grocery gift certificate) great….Christmas dinner with all the fixings!
You have lifted our spirit and shared with us the true meaning of Christmas. We are sincerely grateful.”
"I want to thank you for your kindness and generosity. Words cannot express how much this means to my family and myself! It’s people like you that give me hope and inspiration. It makes me want to be a better person.
I hope someday I can return this generosity and pay it forward, so your gifts may keep on giving for years to come. Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!”
"I would like to thank you with all my heart for the beautiful gifts you gave us this Christmas. Everything was so precious: the clothes fit wonderfully, the pyjamas and the slippers were warm and cozy, my children stayed in them all day while doing their art with their brand new equipment.
While I was hearing ‘Mom, this is great, it’s exactly what I wanted.’ I was thanking you simultaneously. Of course I thank you for the gift certificates as well. The gifts you gave me were also wonderful. How do you know I love lavender?? Thank you so much.
I wish to acknowledge the time that you spent shopping for my family’s gifts. In the crowded malls at holiday time I know that it is not an easy thing to do, and I appreciate the time and the effort it all took. You gave us a lot of consideration, personal time, thought and money. I want you to know that without your help our Christmas would not have been the same.”
"We can’t thank you enough for your thoughtful generosity. Its been a very hard year and we were very stressed – which is not good for this season. We thank you for making our child’s wishes come true. We promise to pay it forward.”
"When we were finished opening gifts I reminded my son how fortunate we are to have support and love from the community around us. To this he said ‘They really powered a smile on to my face!’ It was a priceless moment. Your kindness came thru the material objects and we felt it.”
"In speaking for myself and quite possibly many other parents who find themselves in financially difficult circumstances, very often beyond their control, I want to let you know that you kindness, generosity, time, consideration, and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated. The incumbent stress related to all of the extras necessary for the Season as well as the feelings of guilt and sometimes shame for not being able to procure them are eased with your help, thereby making it easier to focus on enjoying what is most important and that is the joy, excitement and wonder of our children Christmas morning and throughout the Holidays."
"I can not find the words to express the gratitude I feel towards your kindness for all the beautiful gifts you spent the money and time to select for me and my children.
There was an energy of a genuine giving from the heart that the gifts embodied and we all felt it. The true spirit of Christmas was felt in our home – that feeling that transcends the money spent and the actual gifts themselves. I thank you for that. We don’t have to know each other in order to feel it.
The children said it was the best Christmas ever! They believed the gifts to be from Santa and they initiated one person opening a gift at a time so we could all share in the moment. They opened them with such gratitude on their faces and a sense of magic. It truly brought tears to my eyes.
I was overwhelmed with all that you gave! All your gifts came at the perfect time in my life and please know your great generosity will not be forgotten.”
"Although I’ve informed my children of the traditions of Santa Claus it hasn’t been a reality in our home because I simply couldn’t afford it and being rather new to the area we didn’t have friends as such who would reach out to us – nor extended family.
The gifts we received from you were a wonderful surprise and your generosity is felt by us everyday. We feel truly blessed.”
From Referring Agencies
"I am writing to thank you so much for the wonderful gifts you gave to Suzy. Everything you picked out for her was perfect. You would have loved to have seen the smile on her face when I came to the door with all the wrapped gifts. She could not believe her eyes and could hardly wait to open all of the packages. She loved that she got a new blanket and towels. She said she had never had brand new and always had second hand things. It is so heart warming to see a young adult be so excited about Christmas. Suzy is really still a child inside and the gifts you gave allowed her to have a Christmas she would otherwise not have had.
Thank you for caring about the youth in our community and giving from your heart!”
"Albert is a great kid and was very appreciative of some stranger caring enough to give him gifts. It made him feel like he is special and worthy and not forgotten at a time of year where other kids are with their families.”
"On behalf of the Wyndham House Board and Fundraising Committee members, staff and especially the residents, I wish to thank everyone at The Children's Foundation for their tremendous commitment. Christmas can be difficult for those without family or those experiencing family conflict, and the work you do to ensure children and youth in our community have a festive holiday is commendable. Wyndham House is truly grateful for the annual contributions we receive for the young men and women who find themselves living at Wyndham House at Christmas."
- Debbie Bentley-Lauzon, Executive Director, Wyndham House
"I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donation of holiday gifts to our students. When we opened the gifts, things started off normally, with kids chattering and talking, then all of a sudden: stunned silence, then just a quick, hooting and hollering of excitement! We had som kids with tears in their eyes, honestly."
- Matt Timberlake, Teacher at Youth Moving Forward
"Thank you so much for everything you do to make Christmas a special time of year for our families. You are all so amazing."
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Guelph
"Thank you for your help with our families this Holiday Season, and all the extras that you do."
- Waverley Neighbourhood Group
