It’s the most wonderful time of year…
Thanks to many generous friends and our dedicated staff, Saint Vincent’s Day Home celebrated another special holiday season with our children and families. This year, over 200 children and their families received donated gifts, gift cards and food to prepare a holiday filled with special memories.
Christmas décor lit up the inside of the Day Home. Teachers provided supplies and a warm environment so families could take a break from the holiday bustle and make ornaments with their children for their tree and ours.
The kindness of our donors shone bright this year and every child received a special present. Once again, the student-led campus ministry team at Bishop O’Dowd High School organized a toy drive and the response was plentiful—providing holiday gifts and food for 190 families. The kindness of the Bishop O’Dowd community models the giving spirit we hope the children of the Day Home will share when they grow up.
Our remaining 36 families with the greatest need were “adopted” by generous donors who provided personalized gifts for all of the children and adults in the home. Our families were extremely grateful for the support in making the holidays special for their children.
The last full week of school ended with a visit from Santa Claus (who is secretly our board member, Rene Boisvert). Santa and his elves visited every classroom to take a Polaroid picture that each child could take home to share. He patiently listened to each and every wish and gave out candy canes to tide the children over until he made his way to their homes on Christmas Eve. While there were a few tears among our toddlers who were seeing Santa for the very first time, overall the children’s faces were filled with smiles and hope.
Each year, Saint Vincent’s Day Home makes it a priority to alleviate some of the pressure on our families that comes with the holiday season. With the generosity and care of our friends in the community and our staff, we spread holiday cheer that our families can share with each other. It is a gift to revel in the joy of those we serve and truly realize the greatness of giving.