MANCHESTER, NH – Christmas arrived a bit early for 21 families with a total of 43 children who had a knock on their doors by members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, delivering bags full of gifts.
The gifts are provided to the families of those people in need, and identified by St. Anne’s and St. Augustine Church, which selects the families that are in the most need of help for the holiday.
Throughout the year the Ancient Order of Hibernians raise over $10,000 for the annual event. Some of the money raised comes from individual and business donations. Also, members of the group work as road marshals and provide traffic control for Millenium Running, which donates to the holiday fund in exchange for their assistance.
Several dozen volunteers from the group shop for the gifts and then get together to wrap and deliver them in the Manchester area. Along with gifts, each family received a gift card to assist them in providing groceries.
The volunteers gathered at St. Catherine’s Church and, just like Santa, had lists and loaded the packages into vehicles and dispersed the gifts to the families, who expressed their deepest thanks.
Many of the ancestors of the volunteer group emigrated to New Hampshire and parts of the United States with very few resources. Many of the families as they started struggled and this is why it is important for the group to give back to those in need.
