Make a Difference This Holiday Season!

At a time when we celebrate abundance, family, love, and hope, it is more important than ever that we remember the people in our community who need our support.

Learn more about these opportunities to give back this holiday season!

  • Canned Food Drive for Weston Council on Aging
  • Mitten Tree to support the Second Step, a local nonprofit.
  • Supporting the Hitimana family with our Weston Resettle Together team
  • List of local non-profits and charities recommended by the leaders & board of the Weston CARES Fund.

In addition to our service projects and charitable giving, First Parish is quite busy over the holiday season — visit our Christmas at First Parish webpage for more information about our worship services and other festive programs.

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Canned Food Drive for the Weston Council on Aging

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As we get ready to count our blessings this Thanksgiving, it’s very important to do what we can to help provide access to nutritious food for those in need. This year we continue our tradition of collecting non-perishable goods for the Council on Aging Food Pantry. Collection boxes will be in the Breezeway for contributions of non-perishable food and other needed supplies that will be delivered the week of Thanksgiving. So, as you shop this month, please consider adding an extra item or two to your cart! Help us ensure that no one goes hungry this winter.

Second Step Mitten Tree

Second Step Logo croppedOur Mitten Tree has made its appearance again! Starting this Sunday, December 3, the tree will be adorned with gift card requests for The Second Step shelter, alongside wish-list items for families served by the Waltham Boys & Girls Club

We invite you to stop by the tree in the main Breezeway and browse the mittens; decorated by our own church school kids, each mitten has information about the recipient (name, age). Take a mitten to fulfill a wish by bringing the mitten back with an appropriate gift card inside. Please note: all requests are for gift cards only) ; the greatest needs are for $25 or $50 cards to supermarkets (Stop & Shop, Shaw’s/Star, Market Basket), general stores (Amazon, Target), and Visa gift cards.

We are asking that mittens be returned to the church by Sunday, December 17th, so that they can be delivered in time for holiday distribution. Robert Jones will be keeping track of fulfilled wishes; email or call him (781-893-7798, ext 103) with any questions.

Let’s come together to make a difference and collect these heartfelt cards and gifts by December 17th, ensuring a brighter holiday for some local folks in need.

Become part of the “Santa Support” team helping families live happy, healthy lives with a little bit of magic during the holidays!

Christmas for the Hitimana Family

Over the past two months, members of the Weston Resettle Together team have helped support a Congolese family of six during the extraordinary process of moving to America as refugees. Massachusetts is a very big change from their old refugee camp in Uganda! The Hitimana family – parents David & Mahoro, with children Israel, Patience, Ombeni, and Hati, ages 18 months to 9 y.o. – are getting settled in their apartment in Lowell and adjusting to a very new and different life. We will be giving them ongoing support throughout their first year, but we especially want them to have a warm, welcoming, wonder-filled Christmas.

We are excited to be helping out by buying gifts for the family, but we are aware that they have specific needs and preferences (and our partner organization, IINE, has specific guidelines), so we are not putting out a blanket request for items; if you are interested in buying and wrapping gifts for a member of the family, contact Rev. Sarah directly to volunteer.

Weston CARES Fund – Suggested Local Charities

The Weston CARES Fund was launched during the most acute phase of the COVID-19 crisis, and we are proud to say that the Fund raised over $200,000 and awarded grants to 37 non-profits and 94 local families who have received financial support to pay medical bills, rent, or just put food on the table. To stay true to its founding purpose and original mission as an Emergency Relief Fund, Weston CARES is no longer accepting donations. The original leaders and partners are considering other philanthropic programs for the future, but we know there is an ongoing and immediate need in our local Weston and Waltham communities.

To offer your immediate support, the Weston CARES Fund encourages you to support some of these local non-profits that are still in need of support: