Gift of Love

gift of love

The Gift of Love is a program to provide for needy individuals and families at Christmas time.

Gift of Love 2023

We will keep the format of the program the same this year due to safety concerns related to ongoing COVID and flu. It was a huge success last year with all the recipient families very grateful for your donations.

Rather than have the sponsors buy presents and food, we are asking the sponsor families to simply donate the equivalent amount of money. With that money, we will then buy gift cards for selected department and food stores and then distribute gift cards to the needy families. We understand that this method may feel a little less personal than in past years, but we know that the families need for financial help is just as great this year as ever.

THANK YOU!
YOU MADE THE GIFT OF LOVE PROGRAM A HUGE SUCCESS!

The St. Edna community once again made hundreds of people very happy at this time of year. Because of your generosity, we distributed Target, Walmart, and Jewel gift cards to 34 families in the St. Edna area helping over 125 people. The following week we delivered the same type of gift cards to our sharing parish, St. James on Wabash Avenue where the administrator told us that your contributions would help over 200 families have a joyful Christmas. We also gave St. James gift cards for Aldi and several fast-food restaurants that they will distribute to the homeless people who come to them throughout the winter season. We then delivered enough gift cards to Little City to help several dozen of their residents. This has been another challenging year for all of us but especially for those who can’t make their budget stretch to cover the added expense of Christmas gifts and meals for their loved ones. Your generous donations have allowed all these people to buy food and gifts that they otherwise would not be able to. Thank you for your generous support and have a very Merry Christmas.

Genelle and Don Quant

The letter below shows the huge impact your donations have.

Dear St. Edna!
I want to thank you, your family, and everyone at St. Edna. for the generous support given to the families at St. James – Wabash in Chicago. During this Lenten season I have been reflecting on the blessings, generosity and love St. James Food Pantry has received from all at St. Edna Parish. Members gave holiday cheer to hundreds of families through donations of hams, turkeys, chickens, gift cards, hats, toys, and groceries and hygiene items.

I know you are very much aware of the disparities surrounding the St. James Community. With the continued increase of need and the decrease of government support, people are suffering. If it were not for your support, families we serve on the south side of Chicago would feel unloved and hopeless especially during Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Please always remember your donations, your gifts, your time are very much appreciated and continue to make a huge difference.

Despite the challenges our families face each and every one wants all of you to know how grateful and thankful they are. I will share just a few of these families’ expressions of gratitude. Grandparents and parents spilled tears of relief from your holiday donations. Many repeatedly shouted “thank you Father God, thank and bless all who support and love us from afar. Thank you Thank You!” I received seven store-bought and handwritten cards from the Situ family. Each of the five children came to

the food pantry and gave me a written thank you note with pictures drawn on it.

Thank you for showing all of the people we served that Christ is risen and that you are His light .

Cathy Moore

Director of Food Pantry Programs

St. James Parish Administrator