SCRANTON – In the days leading up to Christmas each year, you will always find Jessica Bruno of Simpson giving back to the community.
“I like to give back. I look forward to seeing the joy on people’s faces,” Bruno said.
As someone who has received help from community non-profit organizations herself, Bruno knows how much of a helping hand the Christmas Gifts for Kids program is to families that are struggling.
“There are a lot of people out there that can’t afford gifts, especially with today’s economy. This helps a lot of families,” she explained.
This year, 5,000 children in the greater Scranton area will receive gifts from the Christmas Gifts for Kids Program. The annual event is a cooperative effort between Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, Friends of the Poor, and the Catherine McAuley Center.
“It is a good feeling to be able to help the community for Christmas,” Joe Mahoney, Catholic Social Services Chief Executive Officer, stated. “We couldn’t do this without community support.”
In the months leading up to the toy distribution events, held this year on Dec. 15 & 16, at The University of Scranton, generous community members have been donating gifts for children of all ages, from toddlers to teens.
The toys, games, and books were all sorted and organized by a team of volunteers on Dec. 14. Many of the volunteers represented local parishes and church youth groups.
“This has been a spectacular experience. It is the first time I’m volunteering for something like this, and it really does get you in the spirit of Christmas,” Donna Zehner of Wilkes-Barre, a parishioner at Saint Maria Goretti Parish in Laflin, said.
Zehner was shocked by the number of gifts donated by the community.
“This is a wonderful, wonderful event,” she added.
This year, for the first time, one of the toy distribution dates fell on a weekend– which was done specifically to help working parents.
“We really wanted to accommodate working parents, and we wanted to make sure we’re not asking anyone to take off work, especially unpaid, to be able to come and get their toys,” Meghan Loftus, President and Chief Executive Officer of Friends of the Poor, explained.
What makes the Christmas Gifts for Kids Program so unique is that parents get to choose the toys that they think their children would like best. In all, Loftus said about 2,000 families pre-registered for the toy distribution this year.
“We try to hit that mark because that is roughly the poverty line in Scranton, it is about 15-percent of our population. That would attribute for most of the children living behind the poverty line,” Loftus explained.
For the families who benefit from the program, the Christmas Gifts for Kids initiative is nothing short of a lifeline. Many parents, especially single mothers and fathers working multiple jobs to make ends meet, would struggle to provide the kind of gifts their children dream of at Christmas.
For these families, the program is not just about the presents – it’s about the peace of mind that comes with knowing their children won’t be left out.
“Everyone is here to support the kids,” volunteer Elijah Lyons, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Dupont, said.
As the final toys were distributed, there is no doubt Christmas may not have been the same without the support of the community – and organizers hope the love and hope shared through this effort will continue to resonate in the community, long after the season of giving is over.
In addition to providing gifts to children and families in Scranton, Catholic Social Services also holds separate toy distributions, with the help of the community, in both Carbondale and Hazleton.
In Hazleton, a total of 580 children received presents, and in Carbondale, more than 300 children were served.
“Helping kids is magical,” Mahoney said.