The 61st Annual Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit for Children will host nearly 500 young people who receive services from over a dozen programs administered by Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS). They represent approximately 16,000 children across the Delaware Valley who benefited from residential and community-based programs offered by CSS this year. They include children with disabilities, at-risk children, and dependent or court-adjudicated youth.
The theme for the benefit will be, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The Catholic Community Choir (Delaware County), Mercy Career and Technical High School Gospel Choir (East Falls), Saint Athanasius School Choir (Northwest Philadelphia), Mr. Kamal Bostic-Smith from Saint Martin de Porres Out of School Time program (North Philadelphia), and The All Catholic Jazz Band will perform songs from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Saint Raymond School (Northwest Philadelphia) and The Dynamic Elite Spirit Dancers from the DePaul School’s Out of School Time program (Germantown) will dance, act out scenes from the story, and create a Live Nativity.
Students from high schools throughout the Archdiocese who are participating in the “Kids Helping Kids” program will also take part in the benefit. Earlier this year, these students committed to “adopting” young people in need and will make their Christmas wishes a reality by donating and wrapping gifts to be distributed at the party. They will also portray “Whoville” characters at the event and serve as Santa’s elves by distributing presents to children attending the festivities.
Monday, December 19, 2016
2:00 p.m.
Sheraton Philadelphia Center City Hotel
17th Street between Race and Vine Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19103
1:00 p.m. Saint Charles Borromeo Parish Choir sings carols in the lobby as children arrive and the All Catholic Jazz Band performs as children enter ballroom
2:00 p.m. Archbishop Chaput arrives and greets children followed by a performance by the DePaul School Spirit Dancers
2:15 p.m. Catholic Community Choir performs songs from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2:30 p.m. Santa arrives to greet the children
2:40 p.m. Santa’s elves distribute gifts
More than just a one-time party for a few hundred children, the Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit for Children raises funds to support programs of Catholic Social Services that daily serve children throughout the year. Catholic Social Services assists more than 162,000 children, adults and families of all faiths throughout the five-county metropolitan area comprising the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
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Editor’s Note: For more information or to make a donation in support of the Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit for Children, please visit www.archbishopschristmasbenefit.org/