Christine Whelan FEO, December 8th, 2022, VOL. 4 ISSUE 8

Cindy Duclos and her daughter, Dezirae, have proven for three years now that you don’t need to be a grand and powerful person, you don’t need to be rich, or be a part of and backed by a non-profit organization. You just need to have a big heart to make a difference in a small group of people’s lives.

And they’re doing it again this year.

It’s an absolute bonus that this mom is also providing her daughter with a wonderful experience and a message she will take with her for the rest of her life.

Each year in December, Cindy and now 13-year-old Dezirae provide a Christmas dinner to one family in need. This has become their Christmas tradition.

“I’ve been a single mom for the past 11 years. I’m not well-off by any means but I told my daughter, there’s always somebody out there who needs it more than us.”

How They Got Started

Cindy shared, “This was actually my daughter’s idea. She wanted to help the homeless people. She was nine years old.” But they didn’t know how to help them on their own in a safe way she felt comfortable with.

“So, I started brainstorming.” This was when she turned to her daughter, “Why don’t we help a family? We can buy them dinner. And that’s our giving back.”

Cindy and her daughter then took to Facebook and began posting their invitation on local groups.

“This year will be our fourth year.”

Package From the Heart

“We do give the whole dinner. The turkey, the stuffing, potatoes, veggies, buns, dessert, everything. They can answer by commenting on my post but I also ask people to private message me if they are more comfortable.”

This year, she is posting on Fort Erie “Our Town” and The Purge- Home edition.

When she closes the invitation, “My daughter and I sit down and read all the comments and messages. We decide from there.”

Cindy admits, the choice can be hard.

Keeping It Local

The first year, Cindy posted to include anyone in Niagara. “It was a family in Niagara Falls that we first chose.

“And then I said to my daughter, I want to keep it local. Fort Erie, Ridgeway, Stevensville, Crystal Beach, Black Creek, that area. We have to deliver the dinner a week before Christmas. If it’s nasty weather, I don’t want to drive out of town.”

Cindy was born in Fort Erie. “I’ve been in this town pretty much all my life. I lived in St. Catharines for about six years, but here for the rest of my life.” She added, “I love Fort Erie. I love the idea that I’m giving back to this town.”

These holiday acts of kindness are not isolated moments for Cindy. “I’ve been a board member with COPE for about seven years. She has seen for years the need for community members to give back and spoke highly of the great work the Fort Erie organization does for the town.

“If I can give back, I will. And it teaches my daughter so much.”

They have received an average of 10 responses each year.

This year, Cindy and Dezirae will close on December 12. They need the extra days to organize and shop. They will deliver to the family around December 20.

You can find Cindy’s posts on Fort Erie – “Our Town” and The Purge- Home edition and search ‘Cindy Duclos’. Her post is dated November 19.

“Anyone interested can comment on the post or private message me.”

A couple of days after our interview, Cindy contacted me to let me know that her niece from out west, Brittany, and her husband, Dan, had just emailed her. Brittany had seen Cindy’s posts about helping a family at Christmas and said they have been inspired to do the same thing out there!

This is the good kind of contagious — acts of kindness.

Photo of Cindy and Dezirae provided by Cindy Duclos