The City Kidz Gift of Christmas was launched in 1995, and was designed to assist our children and families by alleviating some of the personal pressures often experienced and associated with the Christmas season.

This year our campaign kicks off Monday, November 7th with the goal of reaching 4,000 children in our community!

Every year our dream is to bring HOPE, ease tension and express LOVE in action for Hamilton children by providing an annual Christmas party celebration that includes a Christmas meal and a stocking filled with candies and toys. In addition to the parties, the children receive a personally selected gift delivered to their home. This year our Christmas parties will be held on December 10th and 17th.

What is Gift of Christmas?

Gift of Christmas is

  • the greater Hamilton community donating thousands of gifts for inner city children
  • children gathering for energetic and interactive Christmas parties where they receive a meal and a stocking full of goodies
  • hundreds of volunteers sorting through toys for a personalized gift that will be perfect for each child
  • those volunteers delivering those gifts to each child's door, days before Christmas
  • a smile on a child’s face, left knowing they are loved and that someone, who didn’t have to, thought of them during one of the most important days of a child’s year

This year, with your help, we’re hoping that we can bring a smile to over 4000 children. Join us in our effort.

Gift of Christmas Toy Drive

City Kidz is partnering with CTS and our drop off locations to help make our Gift of Christmas toy drive possible. If you are interested in donating toys to one of our official drop off locations: Greater Hamilton Canadian Tire, Staples Business Depot and Hamilton Police Service locations, please click here.

Run Your Own Toy Drive

Holding a toy drive is a great way to give back this holiday season. With your help we can give 4000 children the Gift of Christmas. If you are interested in getting your school, workplace, church or public facility involved in a toy drive, please contact Jas Mogford by calling 905-544-3996 ext 207 or email jas@citykidz.ca

Toy Donation Suggestions

City Kidz accepts new unwrapped gifts for Boys and Girls from newborns to 12 years of age. Our hope is that each of the kids will receive a gift that is exciting to unwrap and will bring them great joy!  Below we have listed just a few suggestions to help guide you in your giving. Thank you for your support!

Great Gift Ideas:
  • Interactive age appropriate toys, dolls and action figures
  • Currently popular themed toys (Transformers, Hannah Montana, etc)
  • Board Games
  • Remote Control toys
  • Constructibles (Lego, K'nex, Megablocks, etc)
  • G-Rated or Family rated Movies
  • Play-Doh, Crayola and Craft Sets
  • Batteries (great to include with a gift that requires batteries)
  • Sports Equipment
Gifts that we are not able to use: These are gifts that we either do not accept, or would be innapropriate for the children that we work with.
  • PG + Rated Movies
  • Video Games and Music CD's
  • Gift Cards
  • Mature Make-Up
  • Toys that promote violence or fear
  • Used toys or stuffed animals
  • Clothing or Food
  • Gifts of a sexual nature

10 to 12 Year Old Gift Ideas (URGENTLY NEEDED FOR THIS AGE)

Girls

  • Webkinz
  • Hair Products & Jewellery (Headbands, necklaces)
  • Nail Polish kits
  • Age Appropriate Make-Up Gift Baskets
  • Hannah Montanna
  • Craft Kits

Boys

  • Transformers
  • Sports Equipment (Soccer, Basketball, Football)
  • Hockey Related Stuff
  • Remote Control Toys
  • Skateboards

Both

  • MP3 Players
  • $15-$30 Digital Cameras
  • Paper Jamz (guitars)
  • iball3
  • Musical Instruments
One of the best way you can reach this age group is by donating online through PayPal

Thank you very much for your interest in supporting the Gift of Christmas. For your convenience we have put together materials and ideas to help get you started.

Here are just a few ways that you can raise funds with your friends and co-workers:

  1. Bake Sales
    Put your (or Grandma’s) skills in baking to good use this holiday season. Hold a bake sale at your school, workplace, church or local sports facility in support of the Gift of Christmas.
  2. Gourmet Dinner Donation Parties
    If your friends are dying for some of your meatloaf, or you cook a mean turkey, hold a gourmet dinner party charging a nominal donation that will go to give a child the Gift of Christmas.
  3. Company Donation Matching Program
    Work with your co-workers to raise funds this Christmas season, and challenge your workplace to match the funds raised.
  4. Christmas Host Donations
    Holding a Christmas Party this year? Encourage your guests to make a donation in lieu of a host/hostess gift.
  5. Christmas Carols
    Spread the Christmas Cheer this holiday season and Carol at local venues or in friendly neighbourhoods and collect donations along the way.

We would like to hear about your event, please contact Jas Mogford for additional information and resources by emailing jas@citykidz.ca

 


  1. Where can I drop off a toy?
  2. Where can I drop off large quantity toy donations?
  3. How can I make a monetary donation?
  4. Do you accept clothes and/or food donations?
  5. Can I sponsor a specific family?
  6. What kind of toys do you Accept?
  7. How can I volunteer?
  8. When I donate, can I get a tax receipt? Is that only for monetary donations, or do gifts count as well?
  9. How do I donate a gift through the City Kidz Shop?

  1. Where can I drop off a toy?

    You can drop off a toy at any of our official Gift of Christmas Toy Drive drop off locations: Greater Hamilton Canadian Tire, Staples Business Depot, and Hamilton Police Service locations

    Please see our list of these locations at the bottom of this page

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  2. Where can I drop off large quantity toy donations?

    You can drop off large donations at our offices located at 601 Burlington St E, Unit A, Hamilton, ON, L8L 4J5 (View Map). Please phone ahead to make arrangements at 905-544-3996.

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  3. How can I make a monetary donation?

    There are three ways you can make a monetary donation:

    1. Donate online with a credit card or PayPal account
       
    2. Mail in a Cheque to our offices: 601 Burlington St E, Unit A
      Hamilton, ON, L8L 4J5
    3. Drop off a cheque or cash donation at our offices: 601 Burlington St E, Unit A
      Hamilton, ON, L8L 4J5       (View Map)

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  4. Do you accept clothes and/or food donations?

    City Kidz is not a clothing or food distribution centre, however Mission Services, The Wesley Centre, Good Shepherd Centre and the Hamilton Dream Center are all good local organizations that would happily accept these donations.

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  5. In an effort to ensure fair distribution of Christmas packages to families throughout the Hamilton area, we are unable to specifically sponsor families. There are other organizations that are able to better and more fairly distribute such packages, we direct our families to them. If you would like to know more, or have any questions please email Melissa at melissa@citykidz.ca905-544-3996 ext. 205.

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  6. What kind of toys do you Accept?

    We accept new unwrapped, age and family appropriate gifts. To see a list of gift suggestions please see our Toy Drive page.

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  7. How can I volunteer?

    Please call Leanne at 905-544-3996 ext. 212

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  8. When I donate, can I get a tax receipt? Is that only for monetary donations, or do gifts count as well?

    We can provide tax receipts for all donations $10 and over as long as full contact information is provided.

    If a person wishes to donate an item, they may receive a tax receipt if they provide a valid proof of value of the item in question (i.e. receipt of purchase). This category of donation must be made directly to City Kidz, but unfortunately not through one of our drop off locations.

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  9. During the Christmas season, as a part of our Gift of Christmas program and with the help of local Canadian Tire Stores, people can donate gifts to City Kidz online for a good price. Any toy found on the City Kidz Shop is available for you to donate. Simply visit the online shop, find a toy you think you would like a child to have and put it in your cart, like any other item, and check out. For every gift donated, you will receive a tax receipt for 100% of the total toys you donate ($20 per toy). If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us at shop@citykidz.ca

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