In normal years, parishioners of Holy Spirit Church in New Hyde Park donate gift bags to families who wouldn’t otherwise exchange Christmas gifts.
But this has not been a normal year.
After Hurricane Sandy struck, Holy Spirit parishioners were asked to help and responded by filling three moving vans with clothing for storm victims in the Rockaways.
And as Christmas approached, they gave again with contributions at their usual level, according to Tom Friel, the Holy Spirit Church’s social ministry director.
“They responded again for Christmas. They don’t hold back on anything,” said Friel.
“We literally gave out hundreds of gifts,” Friel said.
Friel said that is the church’s tradition families in need of gifts had filled out tags describing their family members needs, which were then placed on two “giving trees” in the church sanctuary.
The church’s pastor, Father Joseph Nohs, gave parishioners reminders about the giving tree in his homilies at Sunday masses.
Ninety percent of the tags, Friel said, were taken from the trees in the first two weeks after they were posted.
Parishioners in the weeks leading up to Christmas purchased the presents and delivered them to the social ministry office where volunteers wrapped them up.
Friel, who has worked in Holy Spirit’s social ministry office for the past 14 years, said he’s seen a marked increase in the number of families in need over the past year. The social ministry office has added more than 20 families to its list during that time, and now assists 75 families by supplying food and arranging for utility bills to be paid by the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Friel is president of the St. Vincent de Paul local conference.
“We’ve had many more people,” Friel said.
He said he’s seen a progression over the past few years of people who were living in poverty to begin with, including some illegal residents, to people who had regular incomes and had lost businesses or were otherwise victims of the country’s economic downturn.
Abut 50 parish families will be receiving gifts in this year’s Christmas gift program.
Holy Spirit also donates gifts to Hour Children, a Christian charity that ministers to families of women who are currently in prison and to families at the New York City Childrens Center in Queens.
The church’s social ministry office maintains a food pantry open those in need twice monthly.
Notes in the weekly Holy Spirit church bulletin alert the parishioners to the food pantry. All requests for assistance for food or bills are taken on faith, Friel said.
He added that those requesting aid aren’t necessarily parishioners but must provide proof that they live in the area.
Friel said he’s been putting in long hours. But acting on his Christian principles in helping people in need, particularly with presents at this time of year, gives him a good feeling.
“When you see the people come in with smiles on their faces, it’s worth it,” he said.
Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
