HOLIDAY GIFT PROJECT

Last December, 925 children with incarcerated, justice-involved, or at-risk parents received gifts through BCPS's Holiday Gift Project. This is the largest number of children we have served since the creation of this project in the 1980s. Thank you to the many generous community partners, churches, businesses, and individuals, who made the holiday season so much brighter for these families!

 

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we were able to hold our Holiday Care and Share Party in-person for children with incarcerated parents. The event was coordinated by Alice Moyer at West Lawn United Methodist Church. The families that attended the party decorated gingerbread houses, created festive arts and crafts, and of course, had a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus. But that was not all! They also received blankets from volunteers from Blankets of Hope and teddy bears donated by Godiva. And, Barbara Witman coordinated with the Nice Knitters at the Highlands and friends in Florida to knit scarves and hats for the children. At the end of the event, parents picked up the gift-filled Santa sacks, which were delivered by our volunteers.

 

The remaining families were able to pick up their gifts at the drive-through event, which took place after the holiday party. Slapshot from the Reading Royals made the drive-through more lively and fun for the children.