The Kin Club needs another local organization to take over its Share the Spirit program, which provides assistance for families at Christmas, says the club president.

Val Graham said with two of its four club members leaving the territory, and with more than 15 years organizing the annual food and toy drive, it’s time to hand off the program.

The club will be sending out letters in the next day or two to other local non-profit organizations and church groups to see if they can find somebody who wants to take it over, she told the Star.

“We provide food hampers and toys to children and families in need, and we do over 200 families and over 400 children every year,” Graham said.

“They basically get a hamper with all the goodies for a Christmas dinner ... everything you want for a turkey dinner.”

Graham said in addition to looking for a new organization to take over Share the Spirit, they’re also looking for a new location where they prepare the family packages for delivery the week before.

For the last four or five years, she pointed out, the Kin Club was using the old public library at the Yukon government’s main administration building, but they received word Wednesday it will not be available this year.

Every year, Graham said, letters are sent out to local businesses which include sponsorship and volunteer forums. The Kin Club also receives personal cash donations.

The club contacts local agencies that provide services to families in need, such as Kaushee’s Place, Health and Social Services and Family and Children Services.

The agencies are asked to identify families – with the permission of the families – who would benefit from Share the Spirit, she explained.

A confidential and anonymous family profile is created, including a wish list from the children.

Individuals or businesses sponsoring a family are responsible for shopping for the kids and wrapping the presents.

Where there is no sponsor, the Kin Club and volunteers do the work using the donations of cash, food and toys.

The old library provided ample room as a staging area – it even had one room designated specifically for wrapping – but in years past, the Kin Club has had larger locations but smaller ones as well, Graham said.

She said a team of anywhere from 30 to 50 volunteers put together the food hampers and wrap the toys. The family packages are delivered several days before Christmas.

The year’s delivery has been scheduled for Dec. 17.

“There’s a lot of people that come out every year with big trucks to help us out,” she said.

“With two members, we cannot pull off the program,” Graham added.

“So we need another organization to come in and we will train them and teach them what we know so they can take over from us.”

Grahams said the Kin Club is also a supporter of the Yukon chapter of Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Up until this year, it organized a school program where they would provide school backpacks with supplies for families who needed the assistance.

The Yukon government announced earlier this year it will provide $100 for each student in the territory to purchase school supplies.