Thank you for your generous donations for the Angel Tree baskets 2021

2020 was a year of many challenges, but the response to the Angel Tree Campaign was a huge bright spot!

For the first time, we were unable to put up trees with our Angel Tree wishes in St. Louis Church due to Covid19 regulations.   Gifts could not be collected at the church.  Attendance at Mass was limited to 25% of capacity.   Despite all of these limitations, the Angel Tree was a HUGE success!  

We turned to online requests, sending out our Amazon wish list in the church bulletin.  We advertised on our Facebook page, our webpage and the St. Louis webpage.  The church sent out a weekly email blast reminding parishioners of ways they could participate in the Angel Tree.  We suggested people purchase items online and either have them shipped directly to us or drop them off on the back porch for contactless donating.  We offered to do the shopping for donors if they would like to send a check.  The response to these request was unprecedented.  The public was incredibly generous and we were able to fill gift baskets and bins for 42 local families this year!

Over 1,000 high quality gifts were received.  Included in that number is 43 checks and Paypal donations of over $5,000 and gift cards for groceries to give to families!  Volunteers were able to go to Walmart and buy specific items on family wish lists like vacuums, tea kettles and microwaves.  Volunteers were able to go to Marshalls and purchase 25 sleds to give to  one to every family with children.  Some of the remaining funds will be used to buy additional used boots at the beginning of the new year for incoming refugees.

The bins of gifts - large families had up to three bins - were delivered the week before Christmas.  Due to Covid19, we contacted every family and had them meet us outside so our volunteers could ensure they received the gifts in a safe manner.  It is one of the best weeks of the year to see so many smiling faces receiving the gifts you have given them!

We cannot mention every item donated this year, but special thanks to our community knitters who donated handmade hats, scarves and mittens that were included in every bin.  Thank you to those who shopped from our Amazon wish list and purchased specific items requested by families like tablets, warm blankets, new coats and soccer balls.  Thank you to those who donated gift cards to Wegmans, Aldis, Walmart and Target. They were given to families in their bins this year.  Thank you to everyone who responded in some way and made this Angle Tree one to remember!  

We had a wonderfully successful year with our Angel Tree gift drive.  Two trees were set up at St. Louis Church of Pittsford with paper angels indicating needed items for Saint's Place.  This year, parishioners came through in a BIG way!

We raised $2,449.15 in cash/check donations some of which will be used to purchase winter boots when they go on sale this spring.  $1,800 of those donations were used to purchase hoodies for Rochester International Academy Students.

The following NEW items were donated:

23 men's coats

20 pair of men's winter boots

48+ pair of men's winter socks

25 sets of pots and pans

14 rice cookers

3 vacuum cleaners

6 women's winter coats

20 children's winter coats

17 pair of children's winter boots

60 blankets

30 sets of sheets

24 soccer balls

30 new toys

over 160 hats and gloves for all ages

During this same time period, 18 local community groups held coat drives for our Clothing Closet!  We are incredibly grateful for the support and generosity of our donors who filled our Clothing Closet with so many essential items!  This winter we have been serving between 200-250 people per month at the Clothing Closet so your items make a huge difference. What a wonderful Christmas Season!  Thank you and God bless.