Today is the deadline to apply for a hamper through Community Christmas in Steinbach and area.

Spokesperson Roger Blatz says 754 hampers were given out last year and he expects to top that in 2015.

"There hasn't been a year that we haven't exceeded the previous year," says Blatz. "It would be great if we only did five hundred this year, that would be awesome. But that's probably not the reality of how this works."

The prediction by Blatz does not take into the account the approximately 130 hampers anticipated in Grunthal and area this year. Blatz says though Steinbach works together with most of the food banks in the area, Grunthal is doing more and more on their own.

"Grunthal has taken over a big portion of their own food purchase and they are buying it locally, which is awesome," he says.

Blatz says they have started to set up shop inside South East Helping Hands in anticipation of the first hamper deliveries. Pickup and deliveries this year happen on December 11, 16 and 18. Prior to that, Toys Days take place on December 9 and 10.

According to Blatz, it costs about $100,000 to purchase all the food for the hampers.

"A lot of people are giving cash at Christmas, a lot of businesses at their Christmas parties, staff parties are putting together cash or gifts for us," says Blatz. "And then we have people donating meat, eggs, cheese."

Blatz notes they are fiscally responsible with all their donations and will tender out the grocery lists in order to get the best price.

"It blows my mind every year the amount of giving that people do in this community," says Blatz. "Not only with their time but people pull out their wallets at Christmas and definitely do step up."