Just in time for the 60th Annual Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit for Children, nine Archdiocesan High Schools and three local private Catholic high schools will provide presents for close to 350 out of the nearly 500 young people who will attend the annual Christmas Benefit and who receive services from over a dozen programs administered by Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
“Kids Helping Kids” is a new Christmas Outreach Program led by the Office of Catechetical Formation, which assists teachers and catechists in Catholic schools and in parish religious education programs in carrying out the evangelical mission of the Church, in partnership with Catholic Social Services. Each student volunteer will “adopt” a young child and help make his/her Christmas a reality. The 12 schools were encouraged to conduct Toy Drives through early December. In addition, some schools will hold gift wrapping “parties,” as a way for students to participate together in a group atmosphere.
A list of some of the “wrapping parties” being held in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:
Friday, December 11, 2015
Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School: 403 North Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA 19026-1196 (Basement of Bonner building)(Delaware County)
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Community Service Club (CSC) “adopted” 50 children from Saint Gabriel’s Out of School Time (OST) program, with an individual member providing a “wish list” gift for a specific child, or partnering with other members to provide a gift. Approximately 15 CSC members will be on-hand at this time to wrap presents.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Pope John Paul II High School: 181 Rittenhouse Road, Royersford, PA 19468 (School Cafeteria)
(Montgomery County)
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Pope John Paul II High School students have “adopted” 35 children from Casa Del Carmen OST program.
Approximately 3-4 student representatives from each school will be at the Archbishop’s Christmas Benefit to help distribute gifts to the children. The nine Archdiocesan high schools participating in the inaugural “Kids Helping Kids” program include: Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster (Bucks County), Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County), Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County), Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County), Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County), Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County), Father Judge High School for Boys, Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls, and John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School. The three Private Catholic High Schools are: Holy Ghost Preparatory High School in Bensalem (Bucks County), Villa Joseph Marie Academy in Holland (Bucks County), and Mercy Vocational High School.
In addition to the donation of gifts by high schools students, 14 Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP) throughout the 5 counties of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have pledged monetary donations towards the purchasing of gifts for children at this year’s annual benefit. In 2014, the PREP programs raised a combined total of $7,000.
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/
Contact:Bonnie Olinger
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747 (office)