Hugs for the Holidays is a program that delivers a little extra holiday cheer in the form of anonymous gifts delivered to senior individuals and couples around the area. The program started just last year with COVID relief funding, particularly to address the isolation and the lack of social connections felt during the pandemic. The response they had was so positive they wanted to do the project again despite the fact that their original funding was one-time. Instead, they turned to the local business community this year, who have collectively stepped up to fill the gap.

Last year was a particularly difficult gift-giving season because most local businesses were closed or available for curbside pickup only throughout December, so the program ran largely through social media. This year, community members can find trees in six different locations around town, including the hospital and the library, where red and green mitts hang giving them the gender of a recipient and the suggestion of what gift they might like.

Amanda Naughton-Gale, representative of the local Kin Club, suggests that picking out a gift or two might be a great holiday activity for a family to take on. People can also nominate a senior for the program by submitting their name online or by contacting one of the organisers directly. Beyond purchasing gifts or nominating recipients, volunteers are also needed to package and deliver the gifts.

Last year saw 134 seniors receive gifts through the program. This year they already have 200 names on their list, and nominations don’t close until December 15th.

“This whole town has impressed me over and over and over again [with] the respect they have for our seniors, the amount they want to help, and just the feeling of the love that they have for them,” says Michelle Ferguson, director of HAND. “I was so proud of Neepawa for every aspect of this.”