220 Stratford and area businesses included in 2026 Passport to Savings

With each year that passes, the number of businesses included in the annual Passport to Savings increases, but the price for the coupon booklet stays steady at $50.

Do the math. Unlike almost everything else, the passport’s cost-to-savings ratio keeps getting better and better. Now in its 13th year, the booklet – sold annually as a fundraiser for Stratford House of Blessing, Simple Dreams Ministries and the Kiwanis Club of Stratford – includes savings for 220 businesses across Stratford, Mitchell, St. Marys and Tavistock, an increase of 27 businesses over last year’s passport.

“It’s not just restaurants,” said House of Blessing resource coordinator Aaron Balzer. “There’s lots of great restaurant deals, but there’s lots of services like your oil changes, your eyeglasses, so there’s a lot of different services you can get savings on.”

“I’ve read the book here,” added Kiwanis Club of Stratford member Barrie Beech, “and it’s things like accommodations, entertainment, health and beauty, home décor and gifts, restaurants are very popular – lots of restaurant listings – specialty foods, sports and fitness, technology and more. There’s a wide range of savings.”

Those responsible for the passport each year say it’s one of those all-to-rare win-win-win situations. Not only do those who purchase the passports have the chance to realize thousands of dollars in savings, but the participating businesses get the opportunity to attract new customers through their doors.

Meanwhile, all three of the organizations that benefit from the annual fundraiser split the proceeds equally. Last year, House of Blessing, Simple Dreams and the Kiwanis Club each netted $19,000 in support of the work they do in the community.

“It certainly helps us purchase food and a lot of other items that are needed for our clients,” House of Blessing executive director Eva Hayes said. “It goes into our funds and we use that to keep our (food bank) shelves full so we can keep people fed. The need just keeps going up. We were just saying we’ve seen a 197 per-cent increase in demand over the last five years, and the numbers keep growing.”

Though the need keeps rising, Hayes said there are only so many people in the community to support House of Blessing’s work. That’s why the money raised through Passport to Savings is so crucial; it gives locals the opportunity not only to buy passports for themselves, but also as gifts for friends and loved ones.

“(The passports) certainly help fund some of what we do,” Simple Dreams co-founder Richard Kneider said. “The biggest thing we give away on a regular basis is beds. … It also supports things like our To Stratford With Love community dinner, our Thanksgiving ham giveaway and just different needs within the community that we can help with. There’s just so many of them, but Stratford is a very, very giving community and we’re certainly thankful and blessed by that.”

On the Kiwanis side, Beech said the money raised supports club initiatives like the annual Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts and live Sunday Concerts in the Park at Queen’s Park each summer. The club also uses the money to help the city rejuvenate playgrounds, including at the Milton, Inverness and Shakespeare street parks, and support community organizations including House of Blessing, the Local Community Food Centre and the Huron-Perth Centre for Children and Youth.

Passports to Savings are available for purchase at numerous businesses and organizations across Stratford and beyond, including at House of Blessing, Marlin Travel, Stratford Home Furniture, Jiffy Lube, at the Stratford Farmers’ Market on Saturdays located at the Burnside Agriplex, Your Neighbourhood Credit Unions in Stratford and Mitchell and the Little Falls Artisan Market in St. Marys.

Passports can also be purchased from any member of the Kiwanis Club of Stratford and online through the House of Blessing website at www.shob.org with options for pickup and delivery available.