Catholic Charities of West Tennessee's Gifts for God's Children Distribution Begins This Week!

Dec. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- Today, Catholic Charities of West Tennessee (CCWTN) begins its distribution of Christmas gifts to over 1,600 children and senior citizens in our community.  Through its annual Gifts for God’s Children program, clients of local partner agencies, churches and CCWTN programs will receive a bit of Christmas cheer.

MIFA and the Shelby County Community Services Agency (CSA) will each receive gift bags to help with 150 of their clients (300 individuals).

Through an outreach effort between CCWTN and two parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis (Church of the Ascension in Raleigh and Church of the Resurrection in Hickory Hill), another 200 children and seniors will benefit as well.

The remaining 800+ pre-qualified individuals will pick-up their gift bags (by appointment) at the CCWTN offices on Wednesday and Thursday (December 19 and 20) between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Volunteers have been recruited to assist in the distribution and include CCWTN Board members, clergy and parishioners from multiple parishes throughout the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, students from the Catholic School System and the Memphis City School System, as well as student athletes from the University of Memphis.  Media coverage is invited during the distribution days (12/19-20) (University of Memphis student athletes will be on site between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Thursday 12/20).  Please call Alie Lifsey at (901) 722-4750 to schedule interviews or for more information.

Commenting on this year’s program, Therese Gustaitis, Director of Parish Social Ministry for CCWTN said; “We are so grateful for the support of our community in providing the gifts and funds that have allowed us to operate this program and to exceed last year’s numbers of individuals reached by more than 60%.”  

To make a donation of toys, warm clothes, personal care items or gift cards (up to $25 in value), please call Peggy Stehling at (901) 722-4797 or donate on-line at ccwtn.org.

About Catholic Charities of West Tennessee

Catholic Charities of West Tennessee is the social services arm of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. It is one of the largest nonprofit, multi-social service providers in the Mid-South with special emphasis in the areas of homelessness, immigration services, community counseling and emergency services. For more information please visit the agency web site at www.ccwtn.org and visit us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ccwtn) (facebook.com/ccwtn).

For more information, please contact Alie Lifsey at alie.lifsey@acc.cdom.org or 901-722-4750.