{"id":545,"title":"How to Get Christmas Help, Gift Assistance and Support with Bills","slug":"salvation-armys-2025-christmas-kettle-campaign-in-canada-how-to-get-christmas-help-gift-assistance-and-support-with-bills","lang":"en","description":"In November 2025, The Salvation Army launched its 135th Annual Christmas Kettle Campaign, its largest public fundraiser of the year. The campaign supports over three million visits for assistance in about 400 communities across Canada and Bermuda, with a national fundraising goal of $22 million in 2025. Last year alone, there were 345,000 visits for Christmas assistance, including toys and food hampers.","content":"

As inflation and housing costs keep climbing in Canada, many families are quietly asking the same question: “Where can I find help for Christmas this year?” For some, that means Christmas gift assistance so children still wake up to presents. For others, it’s help paying the electric bill or putting together a simple holiday meal.

In November 2025, The Salvation Army launched its 135th Annual Christmas Kettle Campaign, its largest public fundraiser of the year. The campaign supports over three million visits for assistance in about 400 communities across Canada and Bermuda, with a national fundraising goal of $22 million in 2025. Last year alone, there were 345,000 visits for Christmas assistance, including toys and food hampers.

This guide explains:

What the 2025 Christmas Kettle Campaign is
How it connects to Christmas assistance programs in Canada
How to apply for Christmas help, including Christmas gift assistance and, in some areas, help paying electric or heating bills

1. What Is the 2025 Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign?

Across Canada, the red kettles you see in malls, outside grocery stores, or at events are more than a holiday symbol—they’re the backbone of The Salvation Army’s Christmas fundraising.

According to The Salvation Army’s 2025 national release:

2025 marks the 135th Annual Christmas Kettle Campaign.
It’s the largest public fundraiser for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.
Donations support programs that serve people in about 400 communities.
The national goal for 2025 is $22 million, across roughly 2,000 kettle locations.

Funds raised through kettles and online donations help provide:

Food, clothing and shelter
Meal and breakfast programs
Support for women and children fleeing violence
Christmas assistance such as food hampers and toys

The Salvation Army reports that more than 3 million visits were made to its services last year, and hundreds of thousands of people received Christmas-related food and toy support.

2. How Kettle Donations Turn Into “Help for Christmas”

When Canadians drop change—or tap a debit or credit card—into a kettle, that money stays in the local community to support services run by the local Salvation Army church or community service office.

Typical Christmas assistance programs funded in part by kettle donations include:

Christmas food hampers or grocery gift cards
- Many locations provide a hamper or gift card to help with a holiday meal.
Christmas gift assistance for children
- Toy shops, toy hampers, or gift-card programmes so parents can choose age-appropriate presents.
Seasonal clothing and winter wear
- Some programs add hats, mittens or coats as part of Christmas support.
Year-round emergency support
- Food banks, housing support and, in some areas, help with utilities or home heating (which can indirectly support people looking for help paying electric bill around Christmas).

In other words, if you’re searching for help for Christmas, Christmas assistance programs, or Christmas gift assistance, the Christmas Kettle Campaign is one of the main reasons those services exist in many Canadian communities.

3. Types of Christmas Help the Salvation Army Offers in Canada

Each city or region runs its own programs, but across Canada there are some common patterns.

3.1 Food help for Christmas

Many Salvation Army locations offer Christmas food hampers or grocery gift cards that can help you:

Buy ingredients for a holiday dinner
Stretch your budget at a time when other bills are high

Examples:

In parts of Ontario, Emergency Christmas Assistance includes meal assistance and a gift card, plus toys or gift cards for children up to age 16.
Other local programs provide Christmas food hampers for families and single adults in need.

If food is your main concern, searching your city name plus “Salvation Army Christmas food assistance” can help you find the local application details.

3.2 Christmas gift assistance for children

If you’re worried that there won’t be presents under the tree, Christmas gift assistance is designed for exactly that.

Common formats:

Toy Hampers / Toy Shop – parents are assigned a time to choose toys and sometimes winter hats and mitts for their children.
Gift Cards for Teens – because older children can be harder to buy for, some locations use gift cards instead of toys.

Eligibility usually focuses on:

Families with children (often ages 0–14 or 0–15)
Low or modest income, sometimes using Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) as a guideline but allowing for special circumstances.

If you’re specifically looking for Christmas gift assistance, check your local Salvation Army or community-services page for toy or hamper registration details.

3.3 Help paying electric or heating bills

While utility help is not a Christmas-only program, many people look for help paying electric bill or heating costs as winter arrives.

Examples in Canada include:

The Home Heating Program in Prince Edward Island, which can offer up to $1,200 per calendar year to eligible households struggling with home heating expenses.
Some community and family services offices can coordinate emergency support with utilities or rent, often in partnership with government or other charities.

If utilities are your main concern, it’s best to:

Contact your local Salvation Army office directly, or
Use the “Find Help” tool on SalvationArmy.ca to locate nearby programs.

4. How to Apply for Christmas Help in Canada

Because each region manages its own Christmas assistance programs, the process can look slightly different—but the core steps are similar.

4.1 Typical application steps

Based on several Canadian Salvation Army locations and regional websites:

Find your local Salvation Army
- Go to SalvationArmy.ca and use the “Find Help” search to locate community and family services or your local church.
- Some cities (like Halifax Regional Municipality or Kitchener-Waterloo) have dedicated Christmas assistance pages with online forms.
Check dates and deadlines
- Many programs open applications in October or November and close in late November or early December.
- For example, in HRM, online Christmas assistance registration runs from 23 October to 8 December 2025.
Gather required documents
Local programs commonly ask for:
- Government-issued ID for adults in the household
- Proof of address (e.g., utility bill, phone bill, or other mail)
- Proof of income for each adult (pay stubs, benefit statements, etc.)
- Information on household size, including the ages of children for toy programs
Apply for Christmas help
- Some locations use online application forms (for example, JotForm links shared by local corps).
- Others take applications by phone or in person; you may be asked to call during specific hours with your financial details ready.
Follow up with appointments or pickup times
- Once approved, you’ll usually receive:
  - A date and time to pick up your food hamper or gift cards, or
  - A shopping slot at a Toy Shop or Christmas gift assistance centre

Important: Spaces can be limited and deadlines are firm. If you know you need help for Christmas, try to apply for Christmas help as early as possible.

5. Example: Types of Support and Who They Help

The exact details vary by community, but the table below gives a general overview of what different Christmas assistance programs may look like.

Note: This is for illustration only. Always check your local Salvation Army for current details and eligibility.

Type of Support	What It Usually Includes	Who It’s Designed For	Where to Start
Christmas food hamper / grocery card	Box of food or a grocery gift card for a holiday meal	Low- or modest-income individuals and families needing help for Christmas meals	Local Salvation Army community & family services; check website or 211 listings
Christmas gift assistance for children	Toys, books, games or gift cards; sometimes winter hats/mitts	Families with children (typically 0–15 or 0–16) needing Christmas gift assistance	Local Toy Shop or Toy Hamper program; details via local corps website or Facebook
Christmas assistance programs (combined)	Food hamper + toys or gift cards; sometimes winter wear	Households needing both food and gifts at Christmas	“Christmas Assistance Program” pages for your city (e.g., HRM, Mississauga, Midland)
Help paying electric/heating bill (seasonal/ongoing)	Emergency help with heating costs, sometimes up to a capped amount per year	Households facing hardship with heating or utility bills	Provincial or local programs (e.g., PEI Home Heating Program offering up to $1,200/year) or other utility-assistance schemes

6. Quick Tips If You’re Applying for Christmas Help

If you’re searching for help for Christmas, here are some practical tips:

Don’t wait until December
- Application deadlines can be early, especially in larger cities.
Be honest and detailed about your situation
- Some programs use income thresholds like LICO but invite you to explain exceptional circumstances (job loss, illness, separation).
Ask about other supports
- When you apply for Christmas help, ask if there are related programs—food bank, clothing, or occasional support with utilities.
Use 211 or similar local directories
- If you’re not sure which Salvation Army office serves your area, you can call 211 (in many provinces) or search online for “Salvation Army Christmas assistance” plus your city name.

Conclusion

The Salvation Army’s 2025 Christmas Kettle Campaign is about much more than red kettles and ringing bells. With a national goal of $22 million and a history of hundreds of thousands of Christmas assistance visits each year, it underpins many of the Christmas assistance programs Canadians rely on—food hampers, Christmas gift assistance, and in some areas even support with heating costs or other urgent bills.

If you’re in Canada and worried about:

How to apply for Christmas help,
Finding help for Christmas gifts and food, or
Whether there’s any help paying electric bill or heating costs,

starting with your local Salvation Army and its Christmas programs is a practical, low-pressure step. There’s no guarantee of assistance, but there are structured, confidential programs designed specifically to help households who are struggling to make Christmas feel like Christmas again.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not provide legal, financial, or social-service advice. The Salvation Army’s programs, eligibility rules, application deadlines, and available funding vary by location and change from year to year.

All examples of assistance (food hampers, toys, gift cards, utility help, etc.) and dollar amounts (including the PEI Home Heating Program example) are based on publicly available Canadian sources as of late 2024–2025 and may not reflect the current situation in your area. Being aware of these programs does not guarantee approval or support.

The Salvation Army is a registered charity and Christian organization. Mention of The Salvation Army or any partners (such as Walmart Canada, Costco, Loblaw, etc.) is for information only. This article is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Salvation Army or any corporate partner.

Always confirm the latest information directly with your local Salvation Army office, provincial programs, or trusted community agencies before making decisions or relying on assistance.

References

The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda – “Salvation Army Launches 2025 Christmas Kettle Campaign as New Report Reveals Canadians Struggling with Rising Costs” (national press release; goal, number of communities, assistance visits).
The Salvation Army Canada – homepage statistics on total visits for assistance, people helped at Christmas, and community reach.
The Salvation Army Canada – Christmas corporate partnership page, outlining food hampers, toys and other Christmas support funded by kettles.
211 Ontario & regional program listings – examples of Christmas Assistance Programs providing food hampers, gift cards and toys in Ontario communities.
Salvation Army Atlantic & PEI Home Heating Program – information on Christmas assistance registration windows and home heating support (up to $1,200 per year) illustrating how some local programs help with winter utility costs.

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