With a huge smile on her face, Kim Snow spreads a bunch of business cards on a table.
“These are all people who want to help or have helped Kimz Angels in the past few months,” said the founder of the grassroots charity Kimz Angels.
Sitting with two of her original angels who have been by her side for nearly a decade now, Steve Stew and paramedic Vince Ford, Snow is feeling good these days about the caring community she lives in.
“For our fill the ambulance campaign this Christmas, we have never had more donations,” said Snow.
While driving around in the “Kimz Angels” truck, delivering food, furniture and other donations to various people and organizations in need, Snow is getting well known for her good work.
“It used to be that I would get 18 emails a month asking for help or wanting to help. Now I get 120 a month,” she said.
One company is offering to pay the truck’s gas. Tim Horton’s donated $700 worth of coffee, other food companies regularly call her for pick ups of everything from meat and vegetables to pudding and popcorn.
At the fill the ambulance campaign at IGA, one man came and said he used to be on the receiving end of help but now he was in a position to make a difference, said Snow.
“Next thing we knew he bought $750 worth of groceries. We also had three truck loads of donations on top of a packed ambulance and $2,486 in financial donations.”
The Langley Curling Club has chosen Kimz Angels as their charity this year. They brought two trucks of donations.
Snow is on a regular calling list of principals at all the high schools and some inner city elementary schools. They ask for food and clothing for students in need. She has housed a dozen people this year and regularly visits and brings groceries to elderly people and families with children.
“Our care isn’t just for the homeless,” she said. All three have full-time jobs but they see the growing need in Langley and know they can make a difference.
“For example, I was dealing with one woman who was out on the street, pushing a shopping cart three years ago, struggling with addiction,” said Snow. “I housed her last year and set her up with all her furniture, a TV, coach. Now she’s sober, and volunteers at St. Joe’s. Now she is giving back,” she said.
Stew, who is also a board director at Sophie’s Place in Surrey and helped get the truck for Snow, said the amazing thing about Kimz Angels is there is no administration fees.
“What you give goes directly to people in need. There are no middle men or fees to pay out,” said Stew.
While there have been lots of happy endings lately, the need in Langley is much greater than many are willing to see, stresses Snow.
“What I see out there, everyday, makes you cry,” she said.
Also, they are looking to secure a storage container. Often they are offered large items like furniture or non-perishable food in crates but aren't able to always say yes because there is nowhere to store the large items.
If you would like to help or are in need email kimzangels@hotmail.com.
