Nancy McPhee, the Executive Director of the Stephen's Backpacks Society is fully aware that 2020, the year of COVID-19, has been difficult to get through for everyone.  

Which is precisely why she is determined to proceed with the Christmas Backpack campaign this year to help as many suffering, vulnerable families as the society possibly can.

"It's very trying times for everyone," says McPhee.  "The numbers are going up as well as the number of families that have called us reaching out for help.  It's really hard times for a lot of people."

McPhee has received so many calls asking for help, some of them coming at 1:00 in the morning, and help is what the society plans to do.  They'll just be forced to do it a little differently this Christmas.  McPhee says they're changing gears this year and she's excited about the way they're doing that.

"Our webmaster has set up a beautiful thing online, 'Build a Backpack,' and we're bringing hope to kids by building a backpack.  It's a great opportunity for families to go online and choose the age group they want, and the gender they want.  There are visuals of all the different items they can purchase and they can kind of create a backpack online and we make it up at the warehouse."

McPhee says it's hard to imagine how many families could be helped if everyone just built one backpack online 

McPhee explains that only her family will be able to help out at the warehouse this year because of COVID gathering restrictions and, unfortunately, they'll be unable to use any of their more than 500 volunteers they've called on in the past.  McPhee assures they'll be putting together many more backpacks than just the ones people build through the online method.

"We've already got 300 built at the warehouse and a couple of big corporations have come on board and they're going to be making backpacks and even some businesses right here in Airdrie have said, 'how can we help,' so they're going to be making some backpacks."

McPhee says while they simply won't have the manpower to put together 7,000 backpacks like last year's Christmas program, she is determined to do as many as they can and to bring as much joy as they can to vulnerable families.  She explains that they plan to help out around 13 agencies working with families with the final distribution being around December 21st or 22nd.  

McPhee says the key to the Christmas program every year is everybody pulling together. "If everybody does a little bit this Christmas we can help some of these families that are really, really struggling."

Anyone who wants to donate individual items such as blankets, toques or mitts, can do so at customer service at the Real Canadian Superstore in Airdrie.  

McPhee says Christmas is always a hard time of year for many families, even without a pandemic.  When you throw that into the mix, many families are hanging on by a thread.  "I've been getting calls for the last two and a half months from families in really dire straits.  It's heartbreaking but you know the rainbow in all of it is that gives us, the people who can help, the chance to help.  I really encourage the people in Airdrie to help if you can.  It doesn't have to be hundreds of backpacks but every little bit put together helps one more family."

You can go to the Stephen's Backpacks Society website HERE to build a backpack.  If you want to help in a bigger way you can also contact Nancy McPhee with the information you'll find online.  

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