The “Sharing Hope, Filling Hearts” initiative aims to continue Catholic Social Services’ mission to “Provide Help and Create Hope” for children and youth in need within our community.

Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS) is hosting its 2nd annual “Sharing Hope, Filling Hearts” initiative to benefit at-risk children and youth who participate in its Out-of-School Time Programs (OST).

For more than 20 years, CSS has served at-risk children and youth in grades K-12 through its OST programs. During the school year, these programs help children develop the social, emotional, physical, and academic skills vital to future academic, social, and civic growth.

Throughout the summer months, OST programs support working families by offering places for their children to participate in recreational activities and academic reinforcement programs that stem summer learning loss. Students participate in a variety of programming including dance, culinary arts, sewing classes, STEM education and more.

Well-equipped OST programs offer positive opportunities for at-risk children to achieve their full potential. This initiative seeks to provide those necessary tools.

Those interested in supporting CSS and the “Sharing Hope, Filling Hearts” initiative can fulfill needed OST items by donating online through a dedicated AmazonSmile Charity List at https://smile.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/3FMSPMGLYPOIU. All items donated via this registry-style wish list will have the option to be mailed directly to CSS for distribution to the OST Programs.

CSS’ OST Programs are a beneficiary of the Archbishop’s Benefit for Children (ABC), a year-round fundraising effort that provides necessary support to help ensure the vitality of CSS’ youth programs for children and families of all faiths throughout the five-county metropolitan area comprising the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This year, ABC will culminate with the 64th Annual ABC Christmas Party which will host nearly 500 children from over a dozen CSS programs including OST that serve children and youth.

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Editor’s Note: Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia offers community-based and residential programs and services to support men, women and children in need as an expression of the charitable works of our local Church throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. To learn more about CSS programs that serve a wide variety of human needs, please visit https://cssphiladelphia.org/

For more information on CSS’ Out-of-School Time Programs, please visit http://cssoutofschooltime.org/.

For more assistance on purchasing items via AmazonCharity Lists, please visit here.