The Salvation Army Christmas Hamper program in Portage la Prairie announced its final distribution numbers for the year.

Major Brenda Coles says the program gave out 595 hampers in the city and the RM. The hampers were filled with various items including non-perishable and frozen foods, fresh produce, toys and a gift card to put towards meat for Christmas dinner.

"That's quite a bit of hampers for the community of Portage la Prairie and the RM," Coles says. "But we pulled it off. And that's just because of everyone pulling together to make it happen. We had the best volunteers helping to get the hampers together, distribute them and get through the process."

"It ended up being a Merry Christmas for almost 600 families."

Coles says the number is down slightly from last year, when 630 hampers were distributed. "It's lower, but I wouldn't call it significant yet. If we can get down to 550, then we'll know things are getting better."

The Christmas Kettle campaign -- the fundraising drive for the hamper program -- raised over $29,000, Coles adds. She says the work of volunteers made the hamper program and kettle drive successful.

"Whether they stood on the kettle, or unloaded canned goods or toys from trucks, or put hampers together," says Coles. "...It's a mammoth task. And we figure between the two things there's probably over 1,600 people involved in the Christmas hamper program here in Portage la Prairie."