Catholic Charities’ annual Share the Spirit program matches families experiencing hardship with individuals and organizations who wish to help them during the upcoming holidays. All sponsored families are nominated by area social workers or education professionals.
“By partnering with local professionals, we’re able to identify and lift up local families in need during the holiday season,” said Bambi Holloway, Share the Spirit program coordinator. “When you sponsor a family, you receive a list of three wants and three needs for each household member. Families of all sizes are available for Share the Spirit sponsorship. We ask that donors spend about $70 per family member, which includes $60 for gifts and $10 for a grocery gift card.”
To sponsor a family, visit ccstcloud.org/share-the-spirit, complete and submit the online donor form.
Grocery gift cards should be mailed to Catholic Charities, Attn: Share the Spirit, 157 Roosevelt Rd., St. Cloud, MN 56301 by Friday, Dec. 4. Gift-wrapped items are to be delivered to the former Save-A-Lot at 3316 West Division St. in St. Cloud, on Thursday, Dec. 10, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
To make an online donation to the Share the Spirit program, go to https://www.ccstcloud.org/donate. (Type Share the Spirit in the designation box.)
Donations are also accepted for other Catholic Charities programs, including the Pandemic Relief Fund: CARES Act Initiative, Meals on Wheels, financial counseling for struggling families, heat and electricity for veterans and groceries for those that need assistance. (Gifts can be made in honor or remembrance of someone.)
This story was updated Nov. 20.