Cara Dolan ’24
Faith is a central part of Oak Knoll, and becomes especially vital during the holiday season. Every year the students and faculty participate in the Christmas Outreach program. Lots of gifts, toys, winter coats and monetary donations are all given to people in need in the northern New Jersey area.
This year, poverty rates have skyrocketed to an all-time high, and many families can no longer prioritize a bountiful Christmas. New Jersey is not exempt from this phenomenon due to its very high cost of living compared to other states in the nation.
Christmas Outreach is designed to provide aid for those struggling during the holiday season. By buying toys for children to open on Christmas morning, and donating to food shelters in order to deliver a special holiday meal, Oak Knoll’s contributions bring great joy to those in need.
Here are the organizations that we’re donating to and their missions! First, the Linden Housing Authority provides safe and secure housing for elderly residents in need. CASA of Union County provides resources for children in foster care. New Community Corporation provides various resources to those in need in Newark, NJ. Pierre Toussaint Food Pantry provides food weekly to families in need, also in Newark. Finally, Babyland is a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Building meaningful connections with our chosen organizations is another pivotal aspect of the Christmas Outreach Program. Ms. Almozara, Theology Department Chair, selects the same handful of charities to donate to annually, so as to establish a lasting relationship with the organizations themselves. For instance, in previous years, charity groups have reached out and explained the necessity for more winter coats. In response, the Christmas Outreach program adapted to accommodate that need. Oak Knoll’s yearly involvement with these charities proves our reliability.
Ms. Almozara notes her students’ passion for Christmas Outreach and especially appreciates their excitement over choosing gifts each year. She carves out ten to fifteen minutes of class time for her students to start selecting their donations.
Christmas Outreach truly does so much for the local areas, and brings light to those whose holidays might be dim. Every year, there are as many donations as there are people in the student body (at least 300). The theology department also covers the cost for anyone who is unable to spend the money on a gift, to ensure that each struggling family has their Christmas necessities. It is a really great opportunity and donating to the multitude of organizations is highly recommended.
Border by Katie Nguyen ’23