"As we begin launching the 54th Annual CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish, we’ve put in new health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, while continuing to do everything we can to provide a safe and happy holiday season for those that we continue to support," it says on the web site, which goes into specifics for drop-offs.
The Greater Toronto Area-wide charitable initiative runs through Dec. 24 at noon. Financial donations can be made at TheWish.ca. Donations of $10, $20 or $25 can be made by texting WISH to 30333. There’s also an option to make recurring monthly donations.
All funds are distributed to participating registered agencies, with donations channelled toward funding safe holiday experiences, such as small celebrations for children and families in need. All monetary donations of $20 or more are eligible for an income tax receipt.
People can also contribute by dropping off a new, unwrapped toy to the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish warehouse at 1366 Blundell Rd. in Mississauga.
Air Miles collectors can use Dream Miles to order a special gift for the Christmas Wish campaign starting on Nov. 17.
According to the web site, "The CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish was originally established in 1966 as CHUM’s Kid’s Crusade Foundation, for the purpose of assisting children in need and children’s charities. In 1973, the name was changed to the CHUM Charitable Foundation in order to broaden the scope of the foundation’s work, including the increase in requests for financial assistance from adults in need. In 2008, the program became known as the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish."
This year’s Christmas Wish campaign kicked off with a live on-air fundraising event featuring appearances from Michael and Sherry Holmes from the upcoming CTV series Holmes Family Effect, Mary Berg from Mary’s Kitchen Crush, Tynomi Banks from Canada’s Drag Race, Masterchef Canada’s Michael Bonacini, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and others who shared messages of support.
Representatives of longtime corporate partners RBC Royal Bank and Air Miles, as well as Amazon Logistics, also appeared at the event. Air Miles is in its 17th year of support and has donated more than $2 million and thousands of toys to the Christmas Wish campaign in that time.
Other Christmas Wish campaign community partners are the Honda Canada Foundation, Walmart Canada and Budget Canada.
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