A vacant school in Chatham is being repurposed to help families in need this holiday season.
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board said it will temporarily convert the former Monsignor Uyen Catholic School building on Lark Street into a “toy barn” for the Chatham Goodfellows’ 68th annual No Child Without a Christmas campaign.
“Each year it is the goal of the Goodfellows to provide Christmas dinner and toys to families who need help, to ensure a happy Christmas for all,” said Tim Haskell, past president of the Chatham Goodfellows, in a news release. “We thank the St. Clair Catholic District School Board for helping us to make this happen again this year by making this space available to us.”
Monsignor Uyen was closed last year and has remained vacant. The school board is currently in the process of offering the property for sale.
“St. Clair Catholic is pleased to make this vacant school space available for such a worthy organization in our community,” said Scott Johnson, the board’s director of education. “We support the great work of the Goodfellows on behalf of the children and families in Chatham-Kent.”
In 2021, the Chatham Goodfellows provided hampers of toys and food baskets to over 1500 families across Chatham-Kent.
Applications for support this year will be accepted online on Tuesday, November 1 for anyone who has applied in previous years. All others please call 519-354-1146 beginning Monday, November 7 from 9am-3pm on weekdays. Applications close Friday, December 2.
The Goodfellows’ 2022 Porchlight Campaign will take place Monday, November 28, with the Street Sales portion of the fundraiser being held December 9-10.
Toy packing for the Goodfellows’ Christmas campaign will take place at the former Monsignor Uyen Catholic School on December 12-15.
Delivery of toys is slated for December 19 with food hampers going out the following day.