St. Walter School Gives Gifts to Needy Kids
The students and faculty of St. Walter Catholic School, in Roselle, have held a drive collecting party supplies and new toys for needy children throughout the area. The gifts will be distributed amongst the 900 impoverished children served by the Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) of DuPage County. Pat Peppers, a teacher at the school who helped organize the drive, said that inspiration for the drive was getting the students at the school engaged in helping needy children their own age. As a result of the drive, St. Walter School, stuffed a mini van full of the collected items, which included both party supplies, like, cake mix, streamers, party hats, etc. and gifts; board games, action figures, other toys, etc. The school and its affiliated church, St. Walters Parish Church, have been supporting needy children and senior citizens through their relationship with HSP for sixteen years.
Seeing the donation from St. Walter School spread out in HSP’s warehouse, HSP Assistant Executive Director, Kristin Maxwell, commented that it looked “just like Christmas.” The party supplies and gifts will be distributed to dozens of the 900 impoverished children served by HSP’s Children’s Birthday Project. In addition to a “party-in-a-bag,” each child receives a 20-25 lb Birthday Box containing: school supplies, 6 new books, and 6-10 new toys, stuffed animals, numerous smaller “filler gifts, and “party in a box kits” which contain all of the supplies to throw a memorable birthday party. The children enrolled in the program, along with their siblings up to age 15, also receive a minimum of three gifts at Christmas through HSP’s annual Christmas Offering. A number of the families served through the project also receive 3 weeks worth of nutritious groceries at Christmas time, and in the summer months to help combat hunger.
About The Humanitarian Service Project:
HSP's mission is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty creates in seniors and children living in DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Last year during the Christmas Offering, 1,636 children received gifts and 150 impoverished families received three weeks of groceries, frozen meats, and fresh produce. With the Senior Citizen Project, HSP provides monthly food deliveries of 100 pounds including fresh produce, frozen meats, non-perishables, paper products and secret pal gifts to 121 low-income seniors. The Children's Birthday Project reaches the youngest underprivileged, making birthdays and Christmas truly memorable occasions for 900 children. Feed the Kids program provides 100 low-income families with groceries and fresh produce. HSP conducts an annual school supplies drive, which sends supplies to the DuPage Back to School Fair in addition to furnishing schools and individual children with necessary supplies.
Contact the Humanitarian Service Project:
hsp@humanitarianservice.org
HSP’s website: www.humanitarianservice.org
and HSP’s blog:
humanitarianserviceproject.blogspot.com.
HSP 465 Randy Road, Carol Stream, IL 60188.