Prince George, B.C. –  There is still time to make a difference and  give a  Gift of Hope  to  someone who may be facing a Christmas alone.

For the 33rd year, the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Prince George Branch is  presenting its Gift of Hope  dinner on the 20th, and  you can help make it a success.The dinner  and dance  is for individuals and their families,  who are living with a severe and persistent mental illness says Branch Executive Director Maureen Davis “They are  individuals who are coping with depression or anxiety or  schizophrenia, or bi-polar disorder,  they have  very severe and persistent mental illness that has interfered with their life.  We want them to have a celebration.  We want them to have an opportunity to get together with people who  care about them, and let them have a Christmas  dinner and dance.”

Each individual will be given a gift bag, and that’s where  the public can help.  Donations of items for the gift bag will be graciously accepted, as will  cash donations to  sponsor a table ($160.00) or help  purchase gifts.

“Last year,  we had 230 people at our dinner and dance  and we expect the same this year” says Davis “This community is  very generous and we hope they will continue to be generous towards us”.

In addition  to the regular  toques, mitts, scarves and toiletry items,   Davis says  CDs and  DVDs that can personalize the package by providing personal favourite music or movies will make the gift bags extra special.

There are Gift of Hope boxes  throughout the City, and people are urged to place unwrapped gifts into those boxes,  while cash donations can be  dropped off to the  Mental Health Association  office at 1152 Third Avenue.