So far, nearly 844,000 euros have been donated to the Good Holiday Spirit collection for domestic low-income families with children. Approximately 1.1 million euros are still required to reach the collection goal. With the help of the Good Holiday Spirit food voucher, low-income families with children have the chance to have a Christmas.
During the holidays, low-income families feel the lack of money more strongly than in everyday life. Maaret Alaranta, the social well-being coordinator for the Red Cross, says that Christmas involves lots of expectations that require money: presents for the children, Christmas food and travelling to relatives.
– With the food voucher, parents can acquire the ingredients for a Christmas meal. This and Christmas sweets for the children can save Christmas for many families.’
Thanks from voucher recipients are touching
‘We have received feedback from many touched mothers and fathers who are grateful for a stranger thinking of them and wanting to help,’ Alaranta says.
– The food voucher always involves the idea of caring, and that is why receiving the voucher is so memorable.’
For many, the voucher is a surprise. Alaranta remembers the feedback from a mother of two who received a Good Holiday Spirit voucher, delivered by a Red Cross volunteer to her doorstep.
– After opening the envelope, I could not utter a word for a moment. Reading the cover letter and looking at the voucher brought tears to my eyes. How did they know that we need help to provide a Christmas for our children? We truly needed this, and now we can even afford to help my mother buy Christmas food. I immediately promised the boys that they can each buy a big box of sweets for Christmas. You should have seen their joy after that!
The Good Holiday Spirit collection continues until Christmas Eve. The Finnish Red Cross and the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare use the proceeds of the collection to acquire 70-euro food vouchers.
Donate a Good Holiday Spirit:
Photo: Finnish Red Cross / Katja Lösönen