Gatineau Police are bringing toys to children in need this holiday season

Sophie Demers

The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) and the Fraternity of Gatineau Police Officers (FPPG) are hosting the sixth edition of Un coeur pour Noël. The goal of the event is to provide gifts for children in need for the holiday season. According to the SPVG, the event means a lot to many families who don’t have the means to buy their children gifts. For some, the gift is the only one they will open this year.

The SPVG invites residents to register to participate by completing an online form that can be found on their website police.gatineau.ca. After registration, an email will be sent to the participant with information about the child who will receive the gift such as first name, age, gender, and language. Registered participants may be assigned multiple children to buy gifts for, depending on the number of participants.

Those registered will then use the information provided to purchase a gift that costs $25 to $30 for each child assigned to them. The unwrapped gift must then be taken to the Promenades Gatineau Community Police Station located at 1100 Maloney Boulevard West in Gatineau, entrance number 7, near the food court.

There are specific times that the gift can be brought to the police station:

• Tuesdays November 8, 15, 22, and 29 and December 6 between 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm
  
• Thursdays, November 10, 17, and 24, and December 1 and 8, between 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
  
• Saturdays, November 12, November 19 and 26 and December 3 and 10, between 1 pm and 5 pm

After all the gifts have been received, the FPPG will distribute them to all the children. Over the past five years, 3,289 children have received Christmas presents through this initiative.

The event is in collaboration with the Orkestra agency, social economy enterprise Re-Source Integration, Les Promenades de Gatineau, and the City of Gatineau.

Photo: Courtesy of the Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau