Sant’Egidio is an international charity focusing on befriending the elderly and the homeless. This year, we are trying to make Christmas special for friends and need your help and gift donations to make it happen!
With all the trials and tribulations of the past year, we have all suffered in unique ways. We have understandably all been caught up in our own struggles, but have we recently looked to those who have faced the brunt of the impact of the virus?
This winter we plead for everyone to consider the hardships that some of the people most ignored by society have had to face: the homeless, the elderly, the lonely and isolated.
Many food banks our homeless friends once relied on have been closed and less people pass by them on their daily commutes to check on their well-being and survival. The elderly have been at the centre of political outrage with care home scandals and have also been affected the most by the virus, with staggering numbers passing away and few able to see their families.
Christmas can be a time to make even the darkest times now a little brighter. Sant’Egidio are asking for gift donations and aid for their annual Christmas Eve meals, which this year will happen with all COVID-19 precautions in place.
You can contribute by donating gifts from the Amazon Wishlist (donations will be shipped directly to the charity), donating a turkey or making a financial donation with the link below:
https://www.santegidio.org.uk/christmas-giving
For those of you wanting to get more involved, you could help prepare for the dinner event or even take part on the day.
Over on https://www.santegidio.org.uk/christmas-volunteering you can view all of the roles you can partake in, such as gift wrapping, entertainment, or even being one of Santa’s helpers on the day.
Emanuela, the events coordinator, comments: “Please help us shine a light towards the most vulnerable this year, so that Christmas can really be a shared joy, a true joy for everyone.”
The virus has meant that we have had to physically distance ourselves from others but that does not mean that we have to emotionally disconnect from each other, too. Help us to spread some Christmas cheer!
