This year marks the 25th year of Vermont Catholic Charities Advent Appeal. On behalf of the thousands of individuals and families helped, thank you for bringing the joy and hope of the Advent season to those in need.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior into our world, we ask you again to join Vermont Catholic Charities, Inc. in answering the call to show our love and compassion for Vermonters in need of emergency assistance by making a gift to the annual Advent Appeal.

e “Season of Giving” has no bounds for people in need. At Christmastime and throughout the year, it is a daily struggle for many Vermonters to maintain housing, stay warm or feed their families. is Advent Season, please help people in crisis, especially the most vulnerable among us — children, struggling parents, the elderly and the sick.

Help people like Kate secure housing. Kate was a single working mother of three children. For safety reasons she needed to move. We helped her with rent to ensure she and her children would not become homeless and could be in a safe environment.

Help people like John and Lisa keep electricity and heat on. John and Lisa were raising their two-year-old grandson despite Lisa being quite ill. Due to Lisa’s illness and caring for the grandson, they fell behind on their utility bills. We helped them avoid the disconnection of utilities so they could stay safe and warm.

ese are real people, and with your support we can assist people just like them, our neighbors in need. Your gift helps us to continue to show God’s love in concrete ways.

Last year, thanks to your generosity, we assisted more than 2,000 adults and 1,500 children through the Advent Appeal and Emergency Aid Program.

We ask for your prayerful consideration of a donation to this year’s Appeal; every gift — whatever the size — makes a di erence. Please support this worthy e ort by sending a check to Vermont Catholic Charities, 55 Joy Drive, South Burlington, Vermont, 05401 or giving online at vermontcatholic.org/ adventappeal.

On behalf of Vermont Catholic Charities and all the Vermonters you will help this year, thank you.

May you have blessed Advent and Christmas seasons.

— Mary Beth Pinard, executive director, Vermont Catholic Charities

—Originally published in the Nov. 16-22, 2019, issue of The Inland See.