A Christmas Collaboration

Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church makes a meaningful difference in the community, especially at Christmas time.

For the past six years, Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church has worked to help brighten the Christmas holidays for the residents of the Dauphin County Work Release Center in Steelton. Congregation members and corporate partners donate calendars, toiletries, socks, and snacks to put together Christmas Care Bags for 150 residents.

Residents of the center are responsible for purchasing their own clothing, food, and personal items. This means that any additional support they receive relating to these needs has a tremendous impact on them as they await their release.

For the past three years, the CommunityAid Foundation has been able to come alongside Mechanicsburg Presbyterian and their efforts to make the holidays brighter. In support of this program, we have donated 150 Care Cards each year to supplement their gift bags and uplift our neighbors in need.

Card for Dauphin County Work Release Center resident

Care Cards are $25 CommunityAid Thrift Store vouchers. They help restore dignity by allowing the person to select store items that meet their needs and match their taste. During the winter months, this can be especially impactful as it can provide outerwear appropriate for the rapidly falling temperatures.

Mechanicsburg Presbyterian graciously shared some of the responses they received regarding our Care Cards and their direct impact on the lives of our neighbors:

“One resident, Jose’ M., sent… a letter thanking [us] for the Care Cards, saying that he was ‘super happy’ for the gift and that he would use it to buy clothing before he was released. 

Another resident, Tyaris, told us that he planned to use his Care Card to buy clothing for his young daughter. He said he hadn’t been able to buy her anything for a long time, so he was very excited to be able to do this.”

Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church distributes an additional 171 Christmas bags at three homeless shelters in Harrisburg, through a street outreach program in Carlisle, and to a group of fruitbelt farmworkers from Honduras. These bags also contain warm clothing items in addition to toiletries, socks, and snacks.

We are deeply grateful for Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church’s ministry throughout the year and their commitment to those in need around Christmas, and we are incredibly excited to partner with them to help bring joy to the residents of the Dauphin County Release Center.

You can learn more about Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church on their website. Discover more impact stories here.