Several dozen of Langley’s homeless are expected to gather at Douglas Park this weekend for a bit of a Christmas cheer.
Brookswood teen Cierra Foster camped out in the George Preston Recreation Centre parking lot last Saturday to gather donations of blankets, warm clothes, and food donations.
“I have to admit, I was worried when donations were not coming in as fast as I had hoped this year,” she explained to the Langley Advance.
But after Saturday’s drop-off event, she said she’s feeling “confident again,” several people dropping off donations and commending her for her charitable efforts.
Tom Cook of Surrey, for instance, drove in to drop off a few used clothing items and a box of coats.
“I had extra coasts and what not, and I know there’s a lot of needy people out there that need warm clothes,” Cook shared.
“We received a great amount of donations,” she said, her car packed with bags and boxes of donations.
Now, she’s planning a Reason for the Season event this coming Saturday, Dec. 23, where she will distributed these donated items to the homeless.
“With the help of some local grocery stores and coffee shops, it looks like we will be able to hand out some warm goodies and drinks, as well,” she said.
“Hard to say how many I will expect because the homeless seem to stay tucked away in Langley,” Foster added, explaining that she went out this week to personally invite many of the homeless to the Reason for the Season event.
“But, from last year’s experience, I expect at last 50 people to show up,” she predicted.
Foster started this initiative in Vancouver three years ago, distributed goods to homeless in the Downtown Eastside.
This year, with less time on her hands, and recognizing a growing need in her own hometown, she’s chosen to focus all of her energies on collecting and distributing in Langley.
Saturday’s event is being held at 11 a.m. at Douglas Park.
READ: Giving is the reason for the season for a young Langley organizer