Testimonials

Through the years, we've received some thank you notes and emails. Here are a few excerpts:

 

"(...) please accept our heartfelt thanks for you generous support and beautiful gifts. You truly helped to make the spirits bright!"

Bruce House, Ottawa, ON (2007)

 

"(...) thank you for the generous donations that included items such as wrapped Chritsmas gifts, herb growing kits, a floating lamp, coffe set, incense set, towel and soap, candle/stand and blanket.

You support helps to make a difference. Your efforts as «special elves» have meant that each of our residents will have an extra special festive season."

London, ON (2007)

 

"I was overwhelmed when my visiting nurse from Casey House gave me a wrapped gift (from Dennis) our last visit before Christmas. I am a long term survivor that over the years has a world that has become smaller. I spent most of Dec. in hospital and was told I was hanging by a thread (renal failure this time) and may have only 2 days left. I at their insistance arranged a DNR order and cried, Nobody was there, for me anymore (people grow weary of watching someone who is so limited in mobility and mostly bedridden.) They asked if I would prefer staying in the hospital or going to Casey house to pass on. I said I wanted to go home. I had no tree this year, but managed to get a few items out of storage to try to capture the xmas spirit for what in all likely hood my last Chrismas. Your gift gave me the greatest gift of all. I couldn't believe that total strangers would go so far out of the way to make sure I had a gift to open Dec. 25. It reminded me of the goodness and selflessness that still exists, that the real spirit of what the holidays are is about giving unconditionally, I will always remember your kind gesture, it restored my faith in humanity. God bless you for what you do, you have touched my life in ways you will never know. "

Toronto, ON

 

"Over the course of the last few days, I have had the pleasure of handing out most of the gifts you got for us. Many of the recipients have been African refugees who have lost just about everything. For some reason or other, they all insisted on opening their gift on the spot. To witness their gratitude was a privilege. You certainly brought a great deal of sunshine to a number of people. One exchange was particularly special and I did want to share this story with you.

There was a work of art donated which was a flat rectangular piece (on soapstone, I was not sure) with the shape of what appeared to be a woman on her knees reaching to the earth.  I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen and when I set eyes on it, I said: 'That is so sad, so beautiful and so sad'. The person it was given to was a refugee from Rwanda who had lost her entire family in the 1994 genocide and I thought how appropriate she should be the recipient of such a precious gift. But she did not respond; she just kept staring at the work of art. It suddenly struck that maybe when you have lost everything, you simply cannot tolerate more symbols of suffering so I quickly told her that she did not have to take that gift and that she could simply choose another gift, which she did. But before she left, I had to ask the obvious question: 'What were you thinking when you first saw that carving?' And this was her answer. She said: 'I did not understand 'why you said this woman was sad'  because she is not sad, she is just praying'. 'So you like it,' I asked. 'Very much', she answered. 'Then it is yours', I said I saw despair; she saw a message of hope. These gifts?  We are not the givers, we are the recipients.

On behalf of us all at the Immunodeficiency Service of the Montreal Chest Institute, I thank you and wish you and your other wonderful elves a healthy and peaceful holiday season."

Montréal, QC

 

"Thank you so much my friend, I will check the mail all week if you send them now, and we can distribute the rest after the holidays if you wish or we can send them back, thank you so much, and please remember angels are not just heavenly figures, they are all among us, and I am pleased to say, once again, I am sending this message to one. Happy Holidays."

Cape Breton, NS

 

"Thank you very much for the wonderful gifts you sent to our residents. They were surprised and delighted by your generosity. On behalf of the residents, please thank all the volunteers whose kindness brightened their Christmas. "

Vancouver, BC

 

"I am a woman living with AIDS in Toronto and my nurse from [centre] just dropped a gift to me from your organization. Not having any family support I cannot tell you how wonderful this is to have a gift to open on Christmas Morning. I guess I'm still a kid at heart even though I am a grandmother, but since my AIDS diagnoses my family has chosen to disown me, and this is one special gift. From my heart I thank you. "

Toronto, ON

 

"Thank you for remembering the residents at [home] this Christmas, they are very appreciative of the gifts they received. I think sometimes that they feel they have been forgotten, but a generous gesture such as the little Elves' make every year does wonders for their morale."

Alberta

 

"(...) thank you and the Little Elves Foundation for your generous donation of wrapped gifts for Christmas. The presents were handed out to our residents on Christmas day and they were overjoyed and thankful to receive them.

Thank you for bringing some joy and lasting smiles to the faces of our residents and for brightening their holidays."

Vancouver, BC

 

"(t)hank you and your amazing 'elves' for the wonderful that you all do leading up to the holiday season, in order that so many others who are alone or in need can feel a part of Christmas.

Your incredibly generous donation this year to [centre] of over 150 gifts for inclusion in our client gift bags assured that no one here, wether in our residential programs or our street outreach program, was without a special something gift-wrapped for Christmas Day. Thank you so much from us all!"

Toronto, ON

» More testimonials, in French