On today’s show, we check in with Tantramar Community Association treasurer John Higham about the growth of both its Christmas Cheer and Community Assistance programs, and what that could mean in 2025.
“We’re quite a bit behind where we were last year in terms of the amount of money that was coming in,” says Higham.
While the Christmas Cheer program provides grocery vouchers and children’s gifts for Sackville families each December, the Community Assistance program provides emergency assistance throughout the year to families who may need help covering a high power bill or rent payment. In 2024, the cost to provide that help more than doubled, and the cost to deliver the Christmas Cheer program jumped 20%.
“Our practices are that Christmas Cheer takes precedence,” says Higham, “and whatever we have left over is what we’ll be able to deal with. So that’s where we are at this point… We’ll do what we can do, but that’s all we’ll do.”
