Dear Santa, please bring food

When it came time to write wish lists to Santa this year, some kids in North Sydney, N.S., were more interested in having food on their family's table than toys under the tree. "A lot of kids are asking for food, really, which is kind of scary," said Brandy Burke, manager of the Clifford Street Youth Centre.

Kids at a North Sydney, N.S., youth centre write 'heartbreaking' wish lists, says manager

Holly Conners · CBC News · Posted: Dec 18, 2023 1:48 PM EST | Last Updated: December 18, 2023

Workers at the Salvation Army in Sydney prepare toys for the annual Christmas distribution — Workers at the Salvation Army in Sydney, N.S., prepare toys for the annual Christmas distribution. (Holly Conners/CBC)

When it came time to write wish lists to Santa this year, some kids in North Sydney, N.S., were more interested in having food on their family's table than toys under the tree.

"A lot of kids are asking for food, really, which is kind of scary," said Brandy Burke, manager of the Clifford Street Youth Centre which serves youth ages 5 to 18.

Burke recently sat down with some of the younger members to write wish lists, so Santa could bring them a gift at the youth centre's Christmas party.

A few kids didn't ask for any toys at all.

"When they say 'Rice Krispies are our turkey dinner at the table'.... It's heartbreaking," she said. "You're filling up inside, but not showing them that you're crying."

Brandy Burke is manager of the Clifford Street Youth Centre in North Sydney. (Georger Mortimer/CBC)

The Salvation Army in Sydney is preparing for its Christmas distribution this week. This year it will provide food and gifts for more than 800 families.

Demand for the Sydney site's programs doubled from 2021 to 2022. And staff said the demand has increased again this year, by about 15-25 per cent.

Staff and volunteers at the Salvation Army food bank in Sydney prepare for the Christmas distribution. (Holly Conners/CBC)

"We're seeing a lot of families who haven't accessed resources before," said Jenelle Durdle, the Salvation Army's community ministries officer.

The Salvation Army doesn't see the wish lists written by the children of the families they help. Instead, parents suggest items the kids would like.

But Durdle understands the importance of food for families at the holidays.

"I often have elders from our community, they share with me the experience that they had as children when the Salvation Army came and supported their family at Christmas. And what they share, what they remember the most, is the smell of the turkey cooking when they expected nothing," she said.

Jennelle Durdle, Community Ministries Officer, says the Salvation Army in Sydney will provide food and gifts for 800 families this Christmas. — Jenelle Durdle, community ministries officer with the the Salvation Army in Sydney, said the organization will provide food and gifts for 800 families this Christmas. (Holly Conners/CBC)

Durdle suspects children may be hearing their parents talk about the high cost of food.

"They see the stress and the weight as their parents are working so hard to take care of them and provide for them. And so they want their parents to have a merry Christmas as well."

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