CRDC CHRISTMAS ASSISTANCE

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The Crystal Ridge Dream Center Christmas Assistance Program has been serving local families since 2019. To date, we have helped make Christmas more special for more than 1,473 children and youth in need throughout our community.

This would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors and the dedication of our staff and volunteers.

If you are a parent, legal guardian, grandparent or primary caregiver experiencing financial hardship, we invite you to apply for Christmas assistance for your dependent children and youth from birth through 18 years of age.

Applications will be accepted from November 1 through December 5, 2026.

Please click the Register Today button to complete the application.

Submitting an application does not guarantee approval or assistance.

 Every application will be reviewed to confirm eligibility, financial need and available program resources.

The Crystal Ridge Dream Center reserves the right to ask reasonable questions about household income, financial circumstances and eligibility. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information.

Applicants may be unable to receive assistance if they do not meet the program requirements, submit all required documents or provide truthful information.

To be considered for Christmas assistance, you must:

• Be a parent, legal guardian, grandparent or primary caregiver.
• Live within the Town of Fort Erie, including Fort Erie, Ridgeway, Crystal Beach, Stevensville or another community located within the Town of Fort Erie.
• Be applying for dependent children or youth who are 18 years of age or younger.
• Demonstrate genuine financial need.
• Submit only one application per household and include all eligible children in that application.
• Be available to pick up the assistance in person on your assigned pickup date and time.
• Not be registered with, approved by or receiving Christmas assistance for the same children from another organization.

Our Christmas Assistance Program is intended to help meet a household’s Christmas needs. 

It is not intended to supplement Christmas assistance already being provided by another organization.

The Crystal Ridge Dream Center works with other local organizations to help prevent duplication of Christmas assistance services.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to consent to the Crystal Ridge Dream Center verifying limited applicant and household information with participating local organizations. Applicants who are registered to receive Christmas assistance through another organization will not be eligible to receive assistance through our program.

The following documents must be attached to your application:

• Government-issued identification for the applicant
• Proof of your current address
• Identification for every child and household member included in the application
• Current proof of household income or financial need

Accepted documents may include:

• Health card
• Driver’s licence
• Ontario Photo Card
• Birth certificate
• Recent pay stub
• Ontario Works statement or slip
• ODSP statement or slip
• Other government-issued identification or documentation showing current income or financial need

Applications that do not include all required identification and financial documents cannot be fully reviewed.

After submitting your application, you will receive an email confirming that it has been received. 

This confirmation does not mean that your application has been approved.

Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive another email advising whether your application has been:

• Approved
• Placed on a waitlist
• Unable to be approved

Please provide an email address that you check regularly and review your junk or spam folder for messages from the Crystal Ridge Dream Center.

Christmas assistance will be distributed on Thursday, December 17 and Friday, December 18, 2026.

Approved applicants will be assigned a specific pickup date and time. The applicant must pick up the assistance in person and may be required to present identification.