For many children and families supported by Wood’s Homes, the holiday season can be one of the hardest times of the year. While others gather for festive meals and exchange gifts, many of the young people we serve are facing challenges that no child should ever have to experience—poverty, isolation, and the pain of being separated from family.
For Grant, those challenges began at an early age.
From the time he was very young, Grant faced significant mental health struggles. His parents both lived with physical disabilities that made steady employment impossible, leaving them reliant on income support and food banks. His mother, doing her best under difficult circumstances, carried her own history of trauma. Though she loved Grant deeply, she sometimes found it hard to meet his needs in the ways he needed most. Still, there was love in their home. Grant’s parents worked hard to create a safe and caring environment, even when life felt overwhelming. But as the bills piled up and the weight of Grant’s growing needs became too heavy to bear, it became clear they needed help.
That’s when Grant came to Wood’s Homes.
At just seven years old, Grant entered one of Wood’s Homes’ 24-hour live-in programs, a supportive environment designed to help children heal, learn coping skills, and begin to thrive. Staff recalled Grant as a sweet and sensitive boy who wanted, more than anything, to love and be loved. He began to make progress, slowly rebuilding his confidence and stability.
But when the holidays arrived, Grant struggled. The decorations and music brought back memories of home, and of everything he was missing. His parents, too, felt the ache of the season. They wanted to give Grant the joyful holiday he deserved but simply couldn’t afford the gifts or celebrations that many families take for granted.
That’s when the community stepped in. Through Wood’s Homes for the Holidays, a generous corporate donor adopted a live-in program that year. Each child in the program, including Grant, received personalized, thoughtful gifts to open on Christmas morning. Grant’s face lit up with joy and surprise as he unwrapped the meaningful presents chosen just for him. But the generosity didn’t stop there. Grant’s family also received holiday food donations and local activity passes, allowing them to share time together in a way they hadn’t been able to in years. For Grant, it was more than just a few gifts, it was a reminder that people cared. For his parents, it was a moment of relief and gratitude, knowing that kindness and community had filled the gaps that hardship had left behind.
That’s the spirit of Wood’s Homes for the Holidays—turning compassion into action, and transforming uncertainty into hope.
Every year, the Wood’s Homes for the Holidays campaign helps children and families, like Grant’s, experience the warmth and connection that make the season special. From sponsoring families in need to donating gifts or contributing funds, the community’s generosity ensures that no child supported by Wood’s Homes feels forgotten during the holidays. When you give to Wood’s Homes for the Holidays, you’re doing more than providing gifts, you’re helping to rebuild trust, restore hope, and remind young people that they are cared for.
This season, we invite you to say yes to hope. Say yes to belonging. Say yes to bringing joy to a child like Grant and his family.
Visit woodshomes.ca/whfth learn how you can make a difference.
