When poverty is a daily struggle, Christmas gifts are simply not an option for the children, families and older adults Catholic Charities serves.
In Kansas City and the surrounding Missouri counties, roughly 17% of individuals live in poverty. For children under 18, the poverty rates is even higher — nearly 25%. That’s 1 in 4 children living in poverty right here in our community!
For them, Christmas gifts just aren’t in the budget
Every year, Catholic Charities’ organizes the Christmas Shining Star project to collect gifts for children in our client families, and gives them, along with wrapping paper, to the parents. Parents then wrap the gifts and place them under the tree for a joyful Christmas morning!
You can help!
- “adopt” a child (or two!) and purchase gifts off of their wish list. We suggest 5-6 items, with a total spend of about $60.
- Bring those gifts to our office or arrange for us to pick them up.
- Purchase a frequently requested gift (like basketballs or art supplies) from Amazon, Walmart, or another retailer and have that item shipped directly to us
- Make a financial donation and our staff and volunteers will do the shopping.
When you donate gifts, necessities, or funds to Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph’s Christmas Shining Star, you make Christmas so much brighter for families in need.
In the news
Faith Journey Interview with Deaf and Disabilities Ministries Parish Mental Health Coordinator Marie Justin: Deaf and Disabilities Ministries “Together” Newsletter September 2022
Recently, our department hired Marie Justin as the Parish Mental Health Ministry Coordinator, a position funded by a grant from the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. She has been with us for a little over a month, and, already, we have greatly...
Faith Journey Interview with Author Virginia Pillars: Deaf and Disabilities Ministries “Together” Newsletter December 2021
On October 12th, our department partnered with the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to present a luncheon with Deacon Ed Shoener of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. The focus of the gathering was on the development of parish mental health...
Faith Journey Interview with Laura Gaffney, MD and Dr. Moya Peterson: Deaf and Disabilities Ministries “Together” Newsletter October 2021
About a year ago, our department hosted an online screening of the film None of Us Want to Stand Still about better health care for adults with developmental disabilities. After we viewed the film, we had a group discussion, and many of the individuals present...
Faith Journey Interview with Caroline Turner: Deaf and Disabilities Ministries “Together” Newsletter August 2022
Recently, one of our dedicated sign language interpreters, Becky Turner, told me about her daughter who had recently started a new organization. Caroline Turner is the founder of Quirky Buds, a new social networking system designed to connect individuals of different...
Dignity Of Life – September Newsletter 2022
The debate about human life has been in the news and at the Supreme Court level a lot lately. Here at Catholic Charities, all life, and the dignity inherent in every life is very important to us. Dignity is a core value listed in the Social Work Code of Ethics stating...
Outpace Poverty 5K: October 22nd – September Newsletter 2022
Poverty can quickly move into a family’s life: a broken appliance, a medical emergency, a costly car repair can spiral into not meeting monthly bills and missing rent payments. It’s just a few steps from that point to the brink of eviction or foreclosure. It’s...