BRUNSWICK — All Saints Parish, including St. John’s Catholic School, has a long history of helping Tedford Housing, which offers a variety of services for the area’s homeless and others in need. Over the course of the next two weeks, the parish will raise a little Christmas “spirit” to offer a helping hand once again.
“Christmas in July” will be held at St. John the Baptist Church, located on 39 Pleasant Street in Brunswick, from Saturday, July 16, through Sunday, July 31. A Christmas tree will be set up in the St. Joseph Shrine area with gift tags listing different items. To participate, individuals and families simply pick up a tag and return the item by the end of the month. Masses are held at the church on Saturdays at 4 p.m., Sundays at 11 a.m., and Tuesdays at 8 a.m. Participants can also drop off their items or food donations to the parish office at St. Charles Borromeo Church on 132 McKeen Street, also in Brunswick.
All proceeds and items will be given to Tedford Housing, which was founded by the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council (BAIC) to provide emergency shelter for the area’s homeless adults in 1987. At the core of all of Tedford Housing’s programs and services is case management, ensuring every client they serve has access to all of the health, human, and community services needed to address the challenges that created their housing emergency. Tedford has become a resource center for homeless and at-risk neighbors, much more than a shelter with emergency beds.
A similar “Christmas in July” event is underway at the churches of St. John Paul II Parish in Scarborough to help new arrivals to Maine, the homeless, and veterans (www.portlanddiocese.org/content/%E2%80%9Cchristmas-july%E2%80%9D-set-scarborough-cape-elizabeth-and-south-portland-help-new-mainers-veterans).
