Esquimalt students creating gingerbread house kits to support families in need

Esquimalt High students prepare gingerbread house kits: Nov. 19, 2021. (CTV News)

Victoria -

More than 40 students in the Esquimalt High School Culinary Arts program are preparing gingerbread house kits to raise money for CFAX Santas Anonymous.

The students in the culinary program have spent more than a week mixing ingredients, rolling the dough and baking the gingerbread that will go into the almost 1,000 holiday kits. Each kit will be sold for $12, with all of the proceeds going to the children’s charity.

“This is our eighth year doing it and over the years I’ve found that kids coming through the program are actually recipients of Santas Anonymous,” said Esquimalt High School Culinary Arts instructor Brandon Aris.

“These kids are learning about the culinary arts but they are also learning about the community and giving back to the community and that’s a huge lesson.”

In 2020, students prepared and sold almost 800 gingerbread house kits, raising more than $8,000 for CFAX Santas Anonymous.

This year's goal is to raise more than $10,000 to help families who are in need during the holiday season.

Each kit purchased contains sheets of gingerbread for walls and the roof. There is also an ample supply of icing along with a selection of festive candy to decorate the house.

Grade 12 student Nathanael Anderson, who has helped prepare the kits for the past three years, says the fundraising effort helps him feel connected to his community.

“I think it's very important to give back to our community and knowing what that money can do to support people is really amazing,” said Anderson.

Aris says his students put an enormous amount of energy and care into crafting each kit so people can enjoy building the gingerbread houses while supporting children and families at Christmas.

“These gingerbread houses are going to make such a difference for so many kids and families this Christmas,” said CFAX Santas Anonymous Society executive director Christine Hewitt. “It's all because these students have a real heart for giving and because Brandon Aris really cares about this initiative.”

Hewitt says the money raised through the sale of the gingerbread house kits will not only help families during the holiday season, but will also help to fund CFAX Santas Anonymous’ “More For The Kids” program which operates throughout the year.

To reserve your gingerbread house kit, go to the CFAX Santas Anonymous website.