Deltassist helped 1,843 people last Christmas, a 50 per cent increase from five years earlier, according to the local social services organization.

In 2007, Deltassist provided 1,233 people with food hampers and toys, a number that has been growing steadily ever since.

"We provided toys for 783 children, the most we have ever helped," said executive director Doug Sabourin of the 2012 effort. "Thanks to the generosity of our community and so many volunteers, we were able to make sure that all of these kids had something under the tree this year."

Over 125 volunteers worked a combined 980 hours to help Deltassist deliver the program, an increase of 50 per cent over the previous year.

Volunteer crews from Delta Cable, the Royal Bank, VanCity, the Aquilini Group and Delta firefighters helped with the Toy Depot, and over a dozen local service clubs distributed food hampers to 610 families throughout Delta.

Parents that registered with Deltassist and met certain criteria were invited to the East Delta Hall to pick up a selection of gifts for their children. Closer to Christmas, many local service clubs fanned out across Delta delivering food hampers to those having trouble putting food on the table.

"We wanted to make sure everyone had a merry Christmas," said Sabourin. "We're glad that we made the holidays better for them, but now that we are into a new year, there are still a lot of people having a tough time that need our help."

Deltassist provides a long list of services for individuals, families, youth and seniors, from counseling and support groups to seniors shopping services and daily phone contact. A complete list of services provided can be found at www.deltassist.com.

"We want people to know we are here to help, no matter what challenges they face," said Sabourin. "If they don't know where to turn, they can count on Deltassist to find the help they are looking for."

Since 1972, Deltassist Family and Community Services have helped thousands of families and individuals cope with personal and economic challenges.

Now in its 40th year, Deltassist offers a full range of specialized services, including drug and alcohol counselling, suicide prevention and support for victims of violence.

There is also a wide range of locally supported services for seniors, parents and families. Services are provided free of charge, thanks to funding from the province, the United Way, the Corporation of Delta and generous support from business and private donations.