“Be the Light and Hope for God’s People” - Our Christmas Community Outreach

Adopt - A - Family and Advent Food Drive

“Be the Light and Hope for God’s People”

December 2023 saw Grace Church and the Early Childhood Center continue to be the Light and Hope for God’s People.  

Three families, two through the Diocese and one through YES Community Counseling, were blessed with Adopt A Family gifts ranging from need to wishes by our Parish Families.   Our generosity provided winter coats, boots, warm clothing, warm pajamas, warm sheets, cozy throws, bath towels, a water filter, a bottle warmer and a microwave along with toys and family grocery gift cards.  In addition, we provided YES Community Counseling with $700 worth of additional gift cards - VISA, ShopRite, Target, and Kohls - from monetary donations that helped many more families enjoy the holidays.  Last but not least 25 T.O.B. Seniors received gifts of either socks, bath towels, hats and scarves, or gloves and a $25 Stop & Shop Gift Card.    Our annual wrapping party on December 3 kicked off the holiday season with refreshments, Christmas music, our Holiday Boutique and of course a mountain of wrapping! 

Lori Caracappa and I would like to thank all those that took tags from the Advent Tree and shopped for gifts, made monetary donations, wrapped all the gifts, provided breakfast and dessert items, and helped to set up and break down the parish hall.     

Our 4th Reverse Advent Calendar Food Drive started on December 3rd as well and culminated on December 22. There was a festive air on the campus with children and relatives all coming back and forth for Christmas presentations and our parish and day school families coming all morning long and making a point of dropping off their donations.  Our storage unit was filled with pounds of food and toiletries for people with food insecurities to be picked up by Island Harvest after New Years.  What a way to be the Light and Hope for God’s People!!    

Richie and I would like to thank our church and school families, everyone’s relatives and neighbors for the tremendous outpouring of love.  We also would like to thank Pat and Debbie Smith and Ken Cynar for their assistance in unloading trunks and carrying donations with us. 

May 2024 bring each and every one a year of good health, less worries and love!

Debi & Richie Csajko