This weekend will mark the sixth year running that a group of Richmond high school alumni planned and hosted a blanket drive to help residents of the Downtown Eastside.
The nine executive members and 40 to 50 volunteers – mostly Steveston-London alumni – that make up the Ignite The Warmth Society (ITW) are, quite literally, doubling their efforts this year.
Such was the demand for their annual winter packages offering of blankets and clothes, and a rush of volunteers, the ITW team are running two blanket drives this weekend at the UBC Learning Centre in the Downtown Eastside.
“We were getting a lot of positive feedback and responses before and we were turning volunteers away,” said ITW’s marketing and communications director, Stephanie Lee.
“We are also offering coffee and food this year, thanks to extra donations.
“There’s also a little personalized message, sometimes in the form a Christmas card with a hand-written note inside. It means a lot to the people we are helping.”
Lee said the team start work on the drives in the summer and includes working with six Richmond high schools and elementaries, who run their own drives for the cause.
ITW’s Richmond drop-off location - Richlea Starbucks, 10151 No.3 Rd. – is accepting donations up to Friday, Dec. 14.
For other donation and volunteer opportunities, go online to IgniteTheWarmth.com.
