REGINA — Regina residents Roman Gershkovich and Nensi Chakh have four daughters whom they want to enjoy the holidays.
Immigrants from Europe, the couple hoped their daughters could enjoy both Christmas and New Year's, as the turning of the calendar is a bigger tradition in Gershkovich and Chakh’s home countries.
“We came here [and] we want them to feel like they belong. So we need presents on Christmas, and we need presents on the New Year for four girls. So it's too much and too expensive,” said Gershkovich.
“So when they write a letter to Santa, what they want and what they wish, you feel the pain that you cannot give them,” added Gershkovich.
Chakh takes care of the children, and the only source of income for the family is Gershkovich’s full-time job.
Looking for aid, Chakh came across the Salvation Army’s Regina Community Church Christmas Assistance Program.
The program focuses on providing food and gifts to children 12 and under.
“It’s been very helpful for us since we joined three years ago,” said Gershkovich.
“We have more free money to buy something better in the New Year because if we didn't have this present for Christmas, we would be spreading the money for both events,” he added.
Eder Gazrona, community ministries co-ordinator of the Salvation Army’s Regina Community Church, said the program helps support roughly 1,500 families yearly.
“[So], each family has anywhere from one to seven kids. And so each child gets one toy, as well as some extra things like a board game.”
“The family also gets a gift card for a Christmas meal, so they can spend that at any of the stores that we get the gift cards from,” he added.
Gazrona said the program is targeted at low-income families.
“We try to emphasize that this support is for those families who really need that little extra boost during the holidays.”
Toys and other items are collected from donation bins scattered throughout the city.
Once those bins are collected, the Salvation Army will sort the items by age.
Families can then drop by the community church to select gifts for their children in December.
As the program has been around for years now, Gazrona said it’s common to see families return.
“A lot of families really, really rely on this type of program to meet their needs every Christmas.”
Gazrona also mentioned the cost of everything is going up, and wages aren't rising. This, in turn, puts pressure on families.
Gershkovich credited the program, highlighting families in a worse position than his rely on this to survive.
