Dear Parishioners,
When asking you to help others, you always seem to comply promptly and beautifully. Belonging to our church is all about helping others and you understand that. Thank you so much for being so good at this and caring for others’ well-being.
Well, during the month of MAY, 2021 and JUNE, 2021 IHM Parish and School will take on a new “helping others” project called CHRISTMAS IN JULY, 2021!
For two months we will be collecting “gifts” that you hopefully can provide for these local organizations:
- Embrace Clinic and Care Center – https://embraceccc.org/
- Summit County Children’s Services – https://www.summitkids.org/
- Hope and Healing Resource Center – https://hopeandhealingresources.org/
- Ronald McDonald House – https://rmhakron.org/
- Akron Children’s Hospital – https://www.akronchildrens.org/
- Paws and Prayers – https://pawsandprayers.org/
- Access Shelter – https://www.access-shelter.org/
Many times these organizations are greatly helped at Christmas time, which is beautiful and so appropriate according to the season. What we have found out is that kind of Christmas generosity dwindles by the time summer comes around and these local organizations are left without a good supply of necessary items. So, this is where IHM Church parishioners and School families come in!
Let us together “fill up their shelves” and keep helping others this year.
This new project will replace what was, for years, called The Advent Giving Tree. That project took place at Thanksgiving and early December.
You will soon see the CHRISTMAS IN JULY environment in the church and in our school cafeteria. “Tags” will be on the trees for you to take home and then return the gift donation with that original tag attached to the UNWRAPPED gift. You can bring these gifts back during the month of May and June either placing them in the church, the school cafeteria, or the Rectory.
A special “shout out” to Laura Karam who is organizing this project. She will need some volunteers to assist her and if you are interested in this, email her at karamlaura@aol.com or contact the parish office at 330-929-8361.
Many blessings,
Father Jim