Santa's Angels carries out hundreds of Christmas Day visits in Charlottetown
In 2004, Ken Zakem had a few toys leftover after a food drive.
"I thought, hey, it'd be a good idea to go out on Christmas Day with these toys and distribute them to kids and families that may not have anything at all."
Since then, the program known as Santa's Angels has grown to reach 1,000 people on Christmas Day, with about 100 volunteers and $40,000 worth of support coming from throughout Charlottetown and the surrounding area.
"The community's been incredible," Zakem told CBC News. "Thank God, because without them we just couldn't do it right."
Santa makes the trip
Eight cube vans and a dozen or more passenger vehicles gather at 6 a.m. on Dec. 25 at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, where volunteers break into groups. "It's just chaotic, actually."
The volunteers head out to homes that either have applied to the program on their own or have had somebody put their name forward.
Santa makes the trip, Zakem said.
"Santa will get in the house and there's kids going crazy and parents and there's tears and there's joy ... And the families get a meal and people feel happy and we go to the next house."
The volunteers have backup toys at the ready, too, in case any neighbouring children happen to see Santa Claus.
Charlottetown area residents can head to santasangels.ca to volunteer, find a drop-off spot for toy donations or to apply for a visit from Santa.
People can also call 902-200-4646.
