This weekend, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels' Adopt-A-Family program will distribute gift baskets and boxes --- filled with food, clothing and other essentials --- to nearly 400 families.
The Dec. 15 distribution begins with a 7 a.m. prayer service at the Cathedral, led by Cardinal Roger Mahony, who will then join volunteers in the distribution effort. Many of those volunteers are veterans of previous Adopt-A-Family efforts that annually assist downtown' poorest.
For information on donations or assisting as a volunteer, contact (213) 680-8766, or visit www.olacathedral.org, and click on the Adopt-A-Family link on the home page. Checks made payable to Adopt-A-Family, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, may be sent to Adopt-A-Family, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Family #T819: For Christina, a single mother of two, working long hours in a fruit packing factory is not only hard on her physically --- she is always working in a cold and wet environment --- but on her two children since she leaves to work very early. She is afraid of getting sick because she knows she would lose her job. She told us how proud she was of her two children helping out with cooking and keeping their one room apartment so clean. "They are good kids and good students," she said. "I just want the best for them and anything we receive from the Adopt-A-Family program would be a blessing to the three of us."
Family #828: Two years ago, Susie got sick from an infection, then was given the wrong medication which caused her to go into a coma for two weeks. The infection set into her legs and both had to be amputated. She now is in a wheelchair living in a one-room apartment on the second floor of an apartment building with no elevator. She has a four-year-old son, whom she says keeps her going. "He is my life and I feel blessed that I am alive to see him grow up. I just want a good life for him and I know that it will be as we have been blessed already with me overcoming my illness." Her wish for her son is warm winter clothes.
Family #887: After many years of living in a domestic violence relationship, single mom Cheryl finally left her husband three years ago, took their two children and moved to a one-room apartment in downtown. She said it was hard to leave and take the children to an area that was so unfamiliar to them, but she knew she had to do it for her children's safety. She struggles to put food on the table and clothes on two growing children --- "but we no longer live in fear." She asked if we could bring food for a nice Christmas dinner.
Family #894: For the Lopez family, living in a one-room apartment with their own kitchen and bathroom and three young children can be a challenge. They have only one queen bed for the five of them. The mother told us that during winter is fine --- "We keep each other warm" --- but the summer months are very hard. "This one room gets very hot inside, and since we have no yard or park nearby, the children are forced to stay inside all day." They are struggling during this time of the year, especially when the children see so many commercials for toys and ask for everything. Toys for the children would make this holiday special. |