People are stepping forward with offers to help send Mike Mallard home for the holidays after he was profiled Tuesday.

“It would be a terrible shame if they couldn’t be together for Christmas,” said Tim Reynolds, who offered to buy a plane ticket so Mallard could spend Christmas with his 91-year-old mother Marjorie, who lives in North Bay.

“I was touched by him reminding us all that Christmas and humanity starts and ends with the little things that brighten a day and can mean so much.”

For the past three years, Mallard has dedicated himself to collecting cans and using the deposit money to buy ornaments for an evergreen tree in a community garden near Dundas and George streets — a tradition born out of his passion for the season and a ban on individual trees at the nearby rooming house where he lives.

It was Mallard’s comments about how the tree reminds him of his mother — and his family’s love of Christmas when he was growing up — that most touched readers.

“As a mother, I’m sure his mother would be thrilled to see him,” June Dunn wrote in her offer to help reunite the two. “I haven’t got a lot of money, but I feel this is something I have to do.”

Mallard called the messages heartwarming.

“It shows me there are still some good people in the city,” he said during a Tuesday ceremony at Church of the Holy Trinity to remember homeless people who have died on the streets.

As much as he appreciates the generosity, Mallard said he’d rather have the would-be donors help some of the many people who are living on the streets.

“That would be so much better,” he said. “But I’d also love to see my mum, even though she might force me to shave my beard which has taken me three years to grow.”

Offers of help

“At the age of 91, she probably doesn’t have a lot of Christmases left and I’m sure Mike would love to go and see her. I would like to buy him a bus ticket to go see her this Christmas along with a little spending money to get him there and back. My mother’s name is Marjorie, too, and I lost her two years ago and would give anything to see her again. In her memory I feel moved to help Mike see his mom again.” — Catharine

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“I am a senior citizen myself and I have a son. If he was in that situation I’d hope someone would reach out to help him. As a mother, I’m sure his mother would be thrilled to see him. I haven’t got a lot of money but I feel this is something I have to do.” — June Dunn

“I’d be very happy to meet this gentleman and offer him whatever help I can give. What he is doing with that Christmas tree is amazing. He deserves the support from all of us.” — Drupati Maharaj