Christmas Sharing 2019

We did it! Thank you so much!

150 families (about 700 cards) have either been adopted or money donated to cover gifts and food!

Late Gifts

Gifts that show up after 10am on Saturday are not able to be delivered to the intended recipients.
Click Here for info on late gifts. We really can't do much with them, unfortunately.

Questions or Lost Cards

Please contact Dan Harms at dharms@saintbridgetchurch.org or (804) 525-7901

This person contacted me to look up a card number and it may be my favorite email in seven years of coordinating Christmas Sharing...

Hi Dan. So my dog ate my mom’s Christmas Sharing Card - literally. Could you look up the gift card number for xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx so we can get the box labeled? Thanks!

How to Wrap/Pack/Label

Gifts for Individuals
Please wrap* your gifts and write the Personal ID# on each gift. It's helpful to tie multiple gifts together with ribbon or place them in a bag/box - please ensure each gift is labeled clearly.
*If you run out of time to wrap, no worries, Confirmation Teens have you covered! We can wrap for you at drop off day.

Food/Household Good for Families
Please do not wrap these. Place food/household goods in a sturdy box (or boxes) and lable each box with the Family ID#

What is the ID#?
Personal ID#s and Family ID#s can be found on the top right corner of each adoption card - it's always a three digit number followed by a letter (e.g. 865A) or the word "Food" (e.g. 865Food).

Additional Ways to Help

Financial
Monetary donations help to purchase last-minute gifts aid in transportation costs and replenish supplies that make Christmas Sharing possible. If you'd like to donate, drop off checks at the Parish Office or click here to donate online. Thank You!

Checks
Made out to: Saint Bridget Church
Memo Line: "Christmas Sharing"

Etc.
The Confirmation Teens arrive for drop off day at 6am and work all morning to collect, sort and deliver the gifts and food.
If you have access to bagels, doughnuts, fruit, pastries or juice we will gladly accept donations to keep our teens energy high throughout the morning!

Drop Off Information

Official Drop Off Day: Saturday, December 14th from 7:30am-10am on the Blacktop of Saint Bridget School

Early Gift Drop Off: Begins December 11th in the Church Commons. Please do not drop off before December 11th

Late Gifts: Will not be delivered to the intended recipient.

What is Christmas Sharing?

Similar to an Angel Tree - Saint Bridget parishioners help over 150 families in need have a brighter Christmas with gifts, food, toiletries and other household items. Cards were distributed after Masses for three weeks and are now available in person at our parish office reception desk and online using the links on this page. Select a card, purchase items on the card and drop off what you purchased to Saint Bridget by 10am December 14th.

Who Do We Serve?

The recipient individuals and families are identified by Social Agencies and Community Organizers across Virginia.

While many recipients are from rural locations in/around the Blue Ridge Mountains, some recipients are based in low income areas around Richmond.

Christmas Sharing Buying Guide

Each individual gift recipeint is told to expect 2-4 new gifts with a combined value of less than $100.
- If a parishioner would like to spend more than $100/person, they are welcome to.
- This guide 2-4 gift/$100 guide helps recipients keep a realistic expectation of what to ask for.

The Ministry of Christmas Sharing: It's Not About Gifts

For over 20 years Christmas Sharing has been a ministry of the Saint Bridget Parishioners, Confirmation Teens, and Social Service agencies/Community Organizers around Virginia.

Our Agencies identify families in need and collect gift requests.
Teens take the hand written gift requests and digitize the information so cards can be printed.
Teens and parents help distribute those cards at Masses for three to four weeks.
Parishioners adopt the cards and generously purchase gifts and food, dropping off wrapped gifts by our Drop Off Day.
Teens rise early in the morning on Drop Off Day for 6 action packed hours of inventory, sorting, organizing, and loading gifts into trucks and vehicles of Agencies.
Agencies take the gifts back to the families and distribute them.

The goals of Christmas Sharing are three fold

Meet the needs of families in Virginia
Give parishioners an opportunity to serve others
Give teens an opportunity to encounter and serve those in need.

All of these goals are centered around encountering people.
When Jesus healed the afflicted, his ministry to them was not actually about the healing or the physical well being - it was about encountering them and healing their hearts.
Our focus this year is "Putting on the Mind of Christ" and when we do that, we recognize that while this ministry seems like it's about giving away gifts and food, its' not, it's about encoutnering people.

When we get emails like the one below, then we know Christmas Sharing is working.

My daughter's eyes and heart were opened by doing the data entry. She told me it gave her a much deeper understanding of the need that exists around us and more appreciation for all that she has in life.

Thank you for your generosity. for putting on the mind of Christ, and for participation in this act of loving others.