| Advent Giving Campaign |
Advent Campaign gets underway
As Vermont Catholics begin their Advent observances in preparation for Christmas, many look around and see people in need, and try to help make the season a little brighter, a little happier for them.
This is the 15th year Vermonters have contributed to an annual Advent Appeal sponsored by Vermont Catholic Charities, Inc. to help provide people in need with necessities like rent, help with utility bills, medication, transportation and even Christmas gifts for their children.
Father Roger Charbonneau, pastor of Holy Cross Church in Colchester, said he has referred many people who have been assisted by the program, which he said is "very helpful, especially because of the economy the way it is."
In big families and small families and homeless families, people have had humble, often desperate requests: a bed, a chair and table to replace ones lost in a fire, a blanket to keep an elder warm, money to cover increased rent so a single mother could stay in her home.
Last year, $19,267 was donated to fill such needs throughout the statewide Diocese of Burlington.
According to Sister of Mercy Jeannine Mercure, coordinator of outreach services for Holy Cross Parish in Colchester, the program is important because it provides relief to people who might not know where else to turn for help in getting enough funds for rent, winter clothes for the children or shoes for teens, to mention only a few examples.
"Everyone wants to do something special for their loved ones, especially at Christmastime," she added. "This program has really helped a number of people."
Donations are now being accepted to help make the Advent 2009 campaign a success: the goal is $25,000.
"We are anticipating the needs to be far greater this year" in light of the recent economic recession, said Larry Assell, executive director of Vermont Catholic Charities. "We saw an increased need last year...and we are trying to serve the entire diocese."
He explained that the objective of the program is to assist parishes throughout the diocese to "go beyond the scope" of parish Christmas gift programs, to assist with larger needs than those that might be expressed in, for example, parish "Giving Tree" programs. Funds from the Advent campaign are used also to help persons who are not affiliated with a parish and who come to Catholic Charities for assistance.
The people he has recommended to the program have been very grateful Father Charbonneau said. "I've heard back from many of them that it meant a great deal to them to have that (assistance) available."
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