Donations to The Tablet’s Bright Christmas Fund have begun to arrive.
Outstanding among the envelopes that were opened was one that contained two checks. One was from Hugo and Sofia Sbordone, who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They sent me $3,500 which represented the gifts that were given to them for anniversary presents. With it was a note to use the money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Done! That money has been directly allocated to one of the oceanside parishes in Rockaway to help brighten Christmas for the children affected by the storm.
Along with that check was another one from the Sbordones’ children, who contributed an additional $1,000 to the Fund. One of those siblings is Father Guy Sbordone, pastor of St. Frances Cabrini parish in Bensonhurst. For years, the Sbordones have been sending us money for Bright Christmas instead of buying gifts for each other at Christmas.
People like Hugo and Sofia Sbordone and their children grasp the real meaning of the celebration of Christ’s birth. As the Father gave us the gift of the Christ Child, so too we give of ourselves to others.
$4,500 is a lot of money. Most of our donations are in the $10 to $100 range. Last year, the average donation was about $32 per donor. But it all adds up and last year’s contributions amounted to more than $100,000.
As the donations continue to come in, so too do the requests for help. This year, in addition to those who ask for assistance from Bright Christmas, we also are sending checks to parishes with families who were affected by Hurricane Sandy. Lives have been changed because of this natural disaster, but we are determined to help everyone enjoy Christmas like they always have.
Yadhir Deras, human services coordinator for Trinity Human Services in Williamsburg writes, “We again need your support. If you are able to make a donation to Trinity Human Services, it will allow us to purchase once again new toys, decorations, and food for our Christmas party. Last year, the donation made to our organization by Bright Christmas was a blessing.”
Father Luis F. Laverde, administrator of St. Rita’s parish, East New York, says that this year he is expecting to help at least 300 children. “Your generous contribution will most definitely help make the children’s Christmas a little brighter,” he writes.
Father Charles Akoto Oduro, pastor of St. Catherine of Genoa parish, Flatbush, says that his parish is made up almost entirely of immigrants. He is asking for help from Bright Christmas and promises to spend half the money for Haitian children and the other half for Ghanaians.
Some Bright Christmas checks already are in the paper pipeline from us to those who need help. Others are on hold until we have the reserves to back them. Our individual solicitation letters are late going out this year because of storm-related incidents. So, please do not wait for them to contribute. Send your contribution today to Bright Christmas, The Tablet, 1712 Tenth Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215.
