WARM HEARTS HELP MAKE ‘ADOPT AN ANGEL’ A SUCCESS
ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER AND GIVE CHILDREN A HAPPY HOLIDAY
Dorchester, MA (December 17, 2004) – Just
ask Santa’s little helpers: it takes a lot of dedication,
teamwork and of course, tender loving care to make the holidays
memorable. Luckily, Santa got a little extra help this year from
dozens of Boston’s most dedicated souls.
Generations Incorporated, in partnership with Catholic Memorial
Middle School in West Roxbury and Boston’s Hope in Dorchester,
brought Christmas cheer to many families this holiday season through
the “Adopt an Angel” event. Over 140 Catholic Memorial
students and their families took on the Christmas wish lists of
Adoption and Foster Care Mentoring (AFC) affiliated children and
families. The response from the community was so great that the
project was able to reach many more families than originally hoped.
Additional recipients included families where grandparents are the
primary caretakers, as well as families that recently left homeless
and domestic violence shelters. In total, about 160 families were
“adopted” through the project.
In addition to toys, games and books, each child received a brand
new backpack. Experience Corps members (volunteers over the age
of 55 who serve with Generations Incorporated) spent hours wrapping
each gift tenderly, while other groups provided refreshments. Lovely
entertainment from a local jazz band and the beautiful sounds of
the Coolidge Corner Community Chorus helped end the evening on a
very sweet note. Everyone involved in the event warmed some hearts
and in turn, their own hearts were warmed, proving that giving is
truly receiving.
Generations Incorporated is a 13 year-old non-profit organization
that unites youth and older adults in service to strengthen communities.
The organization hosts the Experience Corps program, which engages
retirees as volunteer mentors and tutors to help children. Currently
over 200 older adults in Boston serve as Experience Corps members,
and together they are improving the lives of more than 2,000 children.
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