STAMFORD, CT – The parishioners of St. Leo in Stamford answered the call to help in three big ways this Fall —a food drive to benefit the New Covenant Center (NCC) pantry, providing the Thanksgiving meal at the NCC café, and collecting over 625 gift cards to be distributed across 7 social service agencies.
St. Leo normally conducts a Fall food drive to re-stock the NCC pantry, and this year it was done as a “drive through” in the parish parking lot. Then, at Thanksgiving, St. Leo parishioners provided the food and prepared and served a delicious and bountiful meal for over 100 guests in “to go” bags to limit exposure.
At Christmas, the parish historically has a “Christmas Wish Tree” where families can pick a specific gift to wrap for someone in need. This year, in order to limit touchpoints, the parish requested gift cards from select merchants. The parish responded with enthusiasm, collecting over 625 gift cards worth over $15,000, far surpassing the goal. The cards will be distributed to agencies in Stamford including: The Villa of Stamford, Childcare Learning Centers, Head Start Programs, Laurel House, ROSCCO, Domestic Violence and Silver Source. These gift cards will help meet the needs for groceries, clothing, books and other essential household items. The caring and generosity of the St. Leo community will in some small way help brighten the Christmas season for the families served by these wonderful agencies.
Said pastor Fr. James D. Grosso: “In my 17 years at St. Leo, I have always been grateful for the abundant generosity of our parishioners. While appreciative, I am not surprised. Our community always responds to the call to help, even during this difficult year. We are a blessed parish.”
