STAMFORD- The St. Leo Parish Christmas Wish Tree has been a much-loved annual event for the parish community for nearly 25 years. Parishioners have given thousands of individual gifts to local organizations each year to help those less fortunate have a brighter and happier Christmas. This year, as with many things, the COVID-19 pandemic brought some extra challenges to all.
In lieu of the annual Christmas Wish Tree, volunteers from the St. Leo’s Parish Social Concerns Committee found a new way to support local Stamford charities during this 2020 holiday season. Parishioners were asked to donate gift cards instead of physical gifts, and they came through in a big way! Over 600 gift cards were collected in the span of just a couple of weeks.
“We extend a huge thank you to all who participated in the Christmas Giving Gift Card Drive. These gift cards will help meet the needs for groceries, clothing, books, and other essential household items,” said Gail Hofmann, a representative of the St. Leo’s Social Concerns Committee.
More than seven organizations in the Stamford area received donations, including The Villa of Stamford, Childcare Learning Centers, Head Start Programs, Laurel House, Roscco, Domestic Violence and Silver Source.
“We hope that the caring and generosity of our St Leo community will in some small way help brighten the Christmas season for the families served by these wonderful agencies,” said Hofmann.
