Parishioners from the Hastings area Catholic Churches, along with support from Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, organize food and gifts for families in need in the Hastings area. A toy shoppe is set up with the donated gifts and parents are able to come and "shop" for 2 gifts for each of their children aged birth through 12 years old.

You can visit St. Cecilia or St. Michael's church and take one or more ornaments off the trees. The trees will be up November 23rd.

Blue and Lavender angels are for children's gifts. Each of these angels has a label indicating an age range. Blue ornaments are for boys and lavender ornaments for girls. Purchase one approximately $30 gift for a boy or girl in the age range noted on the angel ornament. Return the gift(s) to the back of St. Michael's church in the corresponding box by Wednesday December 11th.

If you choose a green ornament, you'll return a box or bag of non-perishable food by Wednesday December 11th. Each family will receive a food box when they come to shop for their children's gifts.

The white ornaments are for spiritual bouquets. Many in our community are in need of prayers and by taking a white ornament, you commit to anonymously praying for someone. Please return a greeting card to the basket in the back of St. Michael's church by Wednesday December 11th that will be delivered to let them know they have been and will be prayed for.

Yes, if you would like to make a donation, it will be used to purchase additional gifts, wrapping supplies, or batteries to give to the families. To arrange a donation, please send us a message by clicking the green button at the bottom of this page to send us a message.

In addition to taking ornaments off the trees and returning the gifts, food, and/or a spiritual bouquet card, you can help with creating the food boxes, setting up the Toy Shoppe, or helping the Toy Shoppe run smoothly.

There are several volunteer shifts available to sign up for:

Friday morning: Organizing and packing the food boxes

Friday afternoon or evening: Settting up the Toy Shoppe
Saturday afternoon: Helping the Toy Shoppe run smoothly

To sign up for a volunteer shift, click the "Volunteer" button below ⬇️