Program Helps To Make Holidays Bright

Now that the season of giving is in full swing, several Catholic schools in Queens are working to do their part in making the holidays a little brighter for others.
This year marks the ninth annual Sponsor-A-Family Program at St. John's Bread and Life Program, Inc. Through this program, 1,800 families are given a holiday meal and toys for their children.
The community has always been involved in making this program a success, and this year even more help has been received through the local Catholic schools, including St. Agnes High School, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Gregory the Great, St. Mel's, St. Luke's, Christ the King Church and St. Francis Prep.
&#8220My daughter is in Catholic School so we're always doing projects,” said St. John's Bread and Life Executive Director Anthony Butler. &#8220I sent mailingsto see if they wanted to assist us.”
Butler received a very quick response. Some schools chose to gather toys for a specific age group while others are collecting monetary donations. Shortly before Thanksgiving, St. Francis Prep presented St. John's Bread and Life with $600 to go towards the Sponsor-A-Family Program.
&#8220The response was quite encouraging,” Butler said. &#8220They've done very well.”
Our Lady of Mercy is collecting toys for 8-year-old boys with the hopes of collecting 200 toys. According to the school's principal, Linda Mele, the students were more than willing to help.
&#8220They're very positive,” Mele said. &#8220They love to do things for others and the response has been excellent. Many brought toys in the very next day.”
St. John's Bread and Life Chairman Father James Maher said that it is a very positive thing to see the students getting involved.
&#8220I think it's wonderful because I think young people in generalhave a tremendous impulse for generosity and service. It provides a place to really place that energy,” he said. &#8220They come away really moved and touched by the experience.”
Another major Queens supporter of the program is St. John's University, which held a silent auction last Thursday that brought in about $7,000. The school will also collect toys as admission to its annual holiday concert on Saturday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
Once all of the donations are in, volunteers will assist in putting the packages together on December 17th and 18th.
&#8220Those are our big packing days where it looks like some sort of strange Santa's workshop,” Butler said. &#8220There's always a need for volunteers on those days.”
Following those dates, the packages will be distributed to the families that had registered between December 19 and 21. Maher said that those who benefit from the Sponsor-A-Family Program feel gratitude towards those who take the time to enhance the holiday season.
For more information on the St. John's Bread and Life Program or to find out about volunteering opportunities, contact Al Diefenback at (718) 574-0058 x20.