'We just want to help': Saskatoon's Secret Santa campaign kicks off

Secret Santa gets support from many different organizations. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News)

Saskatoon’s Secret Santa launched its 2022 campaign Tuesday with the hopes of getting gifts and food into the hands of kids and families at Christmas.

The program started in Saskatoon 39 years ago and has helped over 100,000 families in that time.

It was started by long-time Saskatoon radio personality Denny Carr. Beginning in 1983, it was his dream that every needy child in Saskatoon would receive at least one new toy at Christmas time.

Carr became the driving force, in conjunction with the Salvation Army, behind an annual drive that brought smiles to the faces of thousands of children. Carr passed away from cancer in 1999. By then the annual Secret Santa campaign had taken on a life of its own.

The program relies on businesses and the public to donate unwrapped gift items or cash for kids, which will be handed out throughout the community leading up to Christmas.

Vic Dubois is the president of Secret Santa and says, this is the first regular campaign since before the pandemic started and it’s expected that the need will be greater this time around with more families struggling financially.

“Look at the food banks, look at the friendship inn, they are more necessary than ever in this land of plenty that we live in called Canada and we just want to help,” Dubois told CTV News.

This year’s goal is to help 800 to 1000 families throughout this year’s campaign.

Donation boxes will be set up around the city where gifts and cash can be dropped off through November and December.

“The goal is to help people who are less fortunate than we are. It’s really that simple,” Dubois says.

The campaign has grown since it began and has helped more families over the years.

In 2005, due to the successful growth of the program’s funding, the Foundation Board made the decision to expand the Secret Santa mandate in order to provide a complete Country Christmas for 600 less fortunate families with children under the age of 12.

Since that time, when the recipients come to the Secret Santa depot the week prior to Christmas, they receive a nutritious food hamper as well as gifts of toys for their children.

Due to donations and other support, Christmas food and toy hampers are provided to about 3,000 people on average.