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Donations collected for Summer Fun Bags

                                               While talking to shelters about their biggest need, they said the kids often don’t have much to do during
                                              the summer.  With this in mind we collected small toys (water balloons, frisbees, balls, small games, etc.) and
                                              bagged them up for delivery to one of the housing shelters in New Brunswick, NJ.  Here’s Our Story . . .

                                  On August 17th the youth group from St. Cecilia's R.C.C. and adult leaders joined Journey 2L2 to deliver summer fun
                                  bags and provide an afternoon of activities and excitement for the children living at a housing shelter.  We had 4 hours
                                  of age appropriate activities planned for all 25 kids living at the shelter and a special time to sit and talk with their moms,
                                  offering support.  We arrived and set-up “camp.”  The hot dogs were ready on time but there were not many kids who
                                  came out to join the festivities.  Since our goal was to share fun and love and wasn’t about the number of kids who
                                 showed up, we adjusted our plan and got started.  Soon the parking lot was filled with laughter and excitement as the
                                 kids started playing relay games.  Everyone was having a good time when it all came to a quick end.  The games were
                                 along the side of the building on a driveway that went out to the road.  As the kids were playing, someone
                      drove by and shot a gun 4 times. No one was hurt. The youth group and leaders reacted very quickly,
                                 ushering all the kids to the back of the building to their moms.  We called 911 and made the decision to pack up.  The
                                 location was no longer safe for our group.  We started gathering the fun bags, gifts we had for the moms and the extra
                                 food snacks to put them on a picnic table for the families and the office staff.  When we asked if gunfire was common,
                                 one of the office staff said, “Unfortunately, yes.”  In about 10 minutes our cars were loaded to head home.  The saddest
                                 part about driving away was the realization that we had somewhere “safe” to go and these families had to stay, this is
                                 their home.  Even though the day did not go as planned, we were able to share love and kindness to these families.

 

 

 

 

  
       

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