HUNDREDS OF UNDERSERVED FAMILIES IN DOWNTOWN LA TO RECEIVE GIFT CARDS INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL HAND-DELIVERED CHRISTMAS GIFTS AS PART OF ANNUAL ADOPT-A-FAMILY PROGRAM DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
December 18, 2020  |  By:   |  Press Releases, Uncategorized  |  

— Home Boy Industries, St. Anne’s Center and the Knights of Columbus among the organizations that contributed with donations to the annual Christmas initiative —

Due to the pandemic, this year the Archdiocese’s of Los Angeles’ Adopt-A-Family program will replace its in-person volunteered-based gift and food distribution to underserved families in Skid Row and downtown L.A. with distribution of gift cards to more than 500 families through different organizations that serve the families. The effort was possible through donations from Homeboy Industries, St. Anne’s Center, Los Angeles Police Department and the Knights of Columbus, among others.

“For the past 30 years, the Adopt-a-Family Program at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels has brought a ‘magical Christmas’ to the children of skid row and the downtown Los Angeles area,” said Msgr. TerranceFleming, Executive Director of theArchdiocese’s Mission Office. “Neither sleet, nor snow or COVID has diminished either the need or the ‘will’ to deliver this. Instead of boxes of groceries and toys, this year it is gift cards. I am overwhelmed of the generosity of our donors and very thankful for all who help carry out this dream.”

Every year, the Archdiocese’s Mission Office gathers nearly 1,000 volunteers of all ages at the Cathedral of the Lady of the Angels to hand-deliver donatedfood, and Christmas gifts, including toys, houseware, clothing and school supplies to hundreds of underserved families in downtownL.A. and the Skid Row area, serving more than 1,230 children annually. This year, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the annual program had to adjust to the guidelines established by the Archdiocese and state and local public health authorities.

Organizations such as Homeboy Industries, St. Anne’s Center, St. Patrick Church, St. Turibius School, Dolores Mission Church, Pueblo Del Rio, St. Francis Center, Los Angeles Police Department, and others, joined efforts to make this tradition possible. In addition, the Knights of Columbus donated 200 coats for boys and girls.

“We, as Members of the Knights of Columbus, work hard every day to support our Church, our community and our Clergy,” said Stephen E. Bolton, state deputy of the California State Council of the Knights of Columbus. “We also have a new motto, ‘Leave no neighbor behind.’  We hope and pray that these Knights of Columbus coats will put a smile on a young person’s face in one of our local parishes and maybe he or she will remember that the Knights of Columbus were there for them during the Christmas Season in 2020.”

Adopt-a-Family was created inDecember 1990, to serve the needs of families who were outside of the help of government programs or othercharitable programs. Many of thisyear’s recipient families continue to be underserved and lack the means to offera dignifying Christmas celebration totheir children.

If you would like to help a family and make an online donation, please visit:www.adoptafamilyla.org. For more information on Adopt-A-Family Program, please visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEjbgiaiOQs&t=24s andhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK6AWGRLuB0.

 

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