Dec 17, 2025 – Abby Luciano/North Shore News

The pouring rain and cold didn’t dampen the holiday spirit for dozens of volunteers outside the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation)’s So-Sah-Latch Shewaynewas Family Programs building Tuesday as they packed holiday hampers for the community.

Like elves working at Santa’s workshop, 60 volunteers worked in assembly line fashion putting together 1,500 food hampers for the Squamish Nation community to ensure everyone gets a festive meal for the holidays. The initiative is run by the Ayás Mén̓men (Child & Family Services) and Ts’its’ixwnítway (Member Services).

“It’s great to see all the families we can help because we have family members that are struggling, living paycheque-to-paycheque,” said Tallia Reginald, who works events and funerals for the Squamish Nation. “When we can give them a boost … it’s always great to make sure we can do that.”

This year’s hampers have Christmas dinner staples like turkey, potatoes, carrots, stuffing, gravy and cranberries, alongside breakfast items like pancake mix, syrup, coffee, tea and mandarin oranges. Food distribution company Sysco helped provide the food while North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Bowinn Ma and North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Susie Chant donated 1,250 candy cane packages to go in the hampers.

Read the full article at nsnews.com.