Residents and staff at Divine Providence Village (DPV), part of The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence (DGDP) and the Intellectual Disabilities Division of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS) recently received early Christmas gifts thanks to the generosity of parishioners at Saint John Chrysostom Parish in Wallingford (Delaware County).

The donations were part of the Saint Nicholas Project, a community outreach initiative which aims to provide presents during the Christmas season to bereaved and homebound parishioners as well as in-need individuals and families in the local community.

In a special post on Facebook, DPV thanked the parish saying, “This was truly a blessing and outpouring of holiday cheer. Some of our individuals attend Mass at Saint Johns. We are grateful for the community connection that our individuals have with Saint Johns and that we were part of the Saint Nicholas Project. We would like to thank the parishioners of Saint Johns for their donations and Mary Chollet [Director of Ministry and Communications at Saint John Chrysostom Parish] who coordinated this wonderful gesture of love for our individuals and staff at Divine Providence Village.”

In addition to Saint John Chrysostom Parish, other local parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia including Saint Anastasia Parish in Newtown Square (Delaware County) and Saint Patrick Church in Kennett Square (Chester County) also put their faith in action this holiday season by giving to DPV and its residents through the tradition of an Advent Giving Tree and gift card donations.

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Editor’s Note: The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence are dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. Dedicated staff and volunteers provide a continuum of care offering a wide range of programming options including: Community and Campus-Based Living Arrangements, Life Sharing through Family Living, In-Home Supports, Respite Care, and Day Programs. For more information, please visit https://dgdpcommunities.org/.

Attached are photographs for publication purposes with credit to Divine Providence Village.