Christmas Hope Partners Getting an Early Start with Christmas in July Gift Card Campaign
With ongoing demand and the expectation that numbers will remain high for the partnership this year, Christmas Hope Partners are getting an early start to fundraising through the Christmas in July Gift Card Campaign. For the entire month of July, Christmas Hope Partners are encouraging community members to donate gift cards at any of their 7 locations:
Lethbridge Food Bank Main office: 1016 2nd Ave South
Interfaith Food Bank Main office: 1103 3rd Ave North
The Salvation Army: Any local Salvation Army location
MyCityCare Main office: 1401 28th Street North
Angel Tree Lethbridge Family Services: 1107 2A Ave North
LSCO Main office: 500 11th Street South
Volunteer Lethbridge Main office: 324 5th Street South
Gift cards from grocers, major retail chains, toy stores, restaurants and local businesses can all be put to use by the agencies that work together every year to provide struggling families with supplies for a special Christmas Meal and gifts under the tree for children and seniors.
“Donations of grocery gift cards go a long way for our local food banks,” says Danielle McIntyre, executive director with Interfaith Food Bank, “being able to make those last-minute purchases of exactly what we need at the time is a huge relief when we’re in the throes of the Christmas rush.” McIntyre notes that through bulk purchasing, food banks are often able to stretch a dollar much further than the average citizen. “Depending on sourcing, a one-dollar donation can be stretched to $3 or even $5 dollars when food banks do the purchasing.”
According to Dryden Roesch, Marketing Manager with Lethbridge Family Services, “gift cards are a crucial part of our Angel Tree gift bundles, especially for teens who like to do their own shopping, and times that we have limited info about a child’s wish list.” Donating gift cards from vendors that partners will be purchasing from is also helpful. “Our friends at Park Place Mall generously give Angel Tree a discount on bulk purchases of gift cards,” continues Roesch, “which means that Angel Tree families can turn the gift card into quality time as a family—they can enjoy a day at the mall to pick out the perfect gift.”
Gift cards have become a go-to for many community members, especially when they’re not sure what to get for someone, and that element of choice provides a level of dignity that aligns with Christmas Hope’s values.
Zach Marshall, community ministries officer with The Salvation Army, adds, "Teens are sometimes very difficult to shop for as interests and needs diversify. The Toys for Tots Campaign supplements gifts for teens with gift cards, usually to places such as Park Place Mall or Walmart, to ensure that they can have a greater degree of personalization in their Christmas gifts."
Some community members may even have leftover gift cards with smaller balances they’re unlikely to use up—instead of hoarding them for a day that may or may not come, donating them to the Christmas in July Gift Card Campaign could allow Christmas Hope Partners to pool them with other cards to the same vendor, increasing funds available for providing for the community. Partners encourage donors to indicate the balance on the partial cards prior to gifting them if possible. If balance is unknown or partial—indicate “balance unknown” when donating to your partner of choice.
“We see every day how important it is to maximize available resources to support the growing demands of our community, and how even small acts of generosity can have a meaningful impact,” says Tim Rempel, executive director with Lethbridge Food Bank.
Tanya Lister, Lethbridge Director for MyCityCare, adds, "Gift cards are a huge help for us at MyCityCare's Shop of Wonders because they let us pivot to whatever we need most. They cover the everyday essentials like tape, gift bags, and wrapping paper, but they also give us the flexibility to fill unexpected gaps in our toy donations—especially when it comes to stocking our Teen Room so those older kids don't get left out."
And the gesture of providing a small token of appreciation, even a $5 gift card to a local coffee shop, can go a long way in making volunteers feel appreciated.
“Christmas Hope starts with small acts of kindness,” says Sandi Davis, executive director with Volunteer Lethbridge. “This Christmas in July, every gift card donated not only supports families through the Christmas Hope campaign, but can also help recognize and celebrate the volunteers who give their time to make our community stronger all year long.”
Throughout the year, partner agencies also use gift cards to respond to immediate needs for community members.
"At LSCO, we often run into folks who are not receiving their full pension amounts, caring for grandchildren suddenly or have experienced a health crisis, among other things, leaving them financially vulnerable,” says Amy Cook, Support Services Manager with Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization. “The Christmas in July Gift Card campaign would allow us the opportunity to provide grocery gift cards or restaurant gift cards to seniors when they are in need and have no other place to turn to if the food banks have already been accessed, or they are unable to physically get to the food bank. Being able to provide this small amount of relief will have such a large impact as we assist in sorting out a long-term solution."
Christmas Hope Partners encourage community members to drop off gift cards to their partner of choice anytime during operating hours throughout the month of July, and to think ahead to plans for supporting the partnership closer to the holiday season through food and toy drives, concerts, collections and other community events.
Christmas Hope is a multi-agency collaboration serving our community at Christmas, including: Lethbridge Food Bank, Interfaith Food Bank, The Salvation Army, Lethbridge Family Services Angel Tree, MyCityCare Shop of Wonders, LSCO Golden Giving Tree and Volunteer Lethbridge. The Christmas Hope partnership ensures less-fortunate members of our community get everything they need for Christmas, and in 2025, supported over 8800 individuals in Lethbridge and area. More information about Christmas Hope and the multi-agency community collaboration is available at www.christmashope.ca.
Christmas Hope partners gathered at MyCityCare on June 29th, 2026, for a media event and photo opportunity to launch the Christmas in July gift card campaign.
Lethbridge Family Services provides highly-accredited health and social services to over 9,000 individuals and families in more than 30 communities in southwestern Alberta, through the professional services of more than 360 staff, and the support of over 500 committed volunteers. LFS's vision is a connected and inclusive community where people thrive.
Media Contact:
Michelle Gallucci
Director, Advancement & Communications
Lethbridge Family Services
MGallucci@LFSfamily.ca
403-915-8028
