Calling on the Community to Support the Homeless this Holiday Season

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - As the season of giving begins and many in our community have been financially impacted by the pandemic, local Facebook Group, Christmas in the Park Sacramento, is encouraging community members to not forget our most vulnerable population, our homeless community, this holiday.  

Christmas in the Park Sacramento is a public Facebook group where members are encouraged to hold collection drives or donate socks, gloves, scarves, hats, toiletries, food, water, backpacks, and most importantly this year, hand sanitizer and face masks, for their homeless neighbors. Volunteers coordinate these donations through Facebook and fill backpacks with the donated supplies. On Christmas morning, the group meets at Caesar Chavez Park in Downtown at 7am and begins handing out the donated backpacks and supplies along with a $5 bill to all the homeless individuals. The group has over 90 local members, many of which have been participating in the event for many years and others who will be participating for the first time this year.

“I have been doing Christmas in the Park for 21 years and I will continue to do it every year, because helping our homeless community has become my family tradition,” said Judy Serafini, Founder of Christmas in the Park Sacramento. “I am grateful for our Facebook Group that allows us to bring the community together to help our most vulnerable neighbors and coordinate this incredible team effort.”

With 24 days left, the group is still in need of donations to be able to provide each homeless individual with a backpack. Individuals interested in donating items are encouraged to join the Christmas in the Park Sacramento Facebook group. If individuals are not able to donate or volunteer, they are still encouraged to show up and take in the beautiful feeling of being a part of a local tradition on Christmas morning that will fill anyone’s heart with goodness and gratitude.