(December 2018) It has been a whirlwind of happiness thanks to staff and volunteers who brought comfort and joy to all during the Christmas season!
The season of giving kicked off in late November with the third annual Toys and Trivia fundraising event sponsored by The Alliance, CC-MD’s young professional group. The event was chaired by Erin Smyth Tielsch, who collected 300 gifts for our Baltimore City and Carroll County Head Start superstores.
The Christmas Head Start Pop Up shops were held on Thursday, Dec. 13 in Carroll County and on Saturday,Dec. 15 in Baltimore City. The Head Start “superstores” allow for families to shop for their children by using points that they’ve accrued through constructive involvement in their child’s education.
According to Mary Gunning, 257 families from the Baltimore City Head Start benefitted from Christmas Super Store. The Super Store tradition was started 26 years ago by Amy Collier, Director of Catholic Charities Community Services Division, as a way to help parents provide for their family during the holidays.
In Timonium, children from at St. 
Vincent’s Villa Residential Treatment Program, clapped their hands and stomped their feet as the inaugural holiday sing-along led by performer Lea Gilmore (l) with Catholic Charities Executive Director, Bill McCarthy. 
The event was held in the magnificently decorated gym thanks to more than 250 volunteers who transformed the gym into a magical Christmas wonderland. The event was featured in the Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/towson/ph-tt-st-vincents-1219-story.html
A week later, the children of St. Vincent’s Villa had another reason to celebrate with a surprise visit by Ravens’ football players including Quarterback Joe Flacco (far r with sons and wife).
At Sarah’s House, our emergency family shelter in Anne Arundel County, Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan visited the child care center to 
present preschoolers and their mothers with gifts donated by Target and the Anne Arundel Food Bank.
In addition to the gift exchange, Mrs. Hogan visited the new playground at Sarah’s House which was generously donated and constructed by Lennar Builders. On display in the playground were 10 new bicycles donated by Target.
At Anna’s House, Harford County’s emergency and supportive housing program, they once again partnered with a local church to host breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus for families from Anna’s House.
As the new year begins, the spirit continues to be merry and bright thanks to the collaborative work of you, our colleagues-along with the support of our volunteers, donors, our clients, and our guests.