What is the Giving Tree?
The Giving Tree is a parish wide outreach gift-collection effort, with support from the Christ Child Society, to guarantee that under-resourced children/families and vulnerable/isolated members of our community are remembered and loved at Christmas.  We work in conjunction with many organizations in the area and our own Parish Community to identify those who are in most need.

How can I help?
Visit our tree lot and pick a tag! Or 2! Or 3! Volunteers will be available to answer questions after weekend Masses beginning November 15/16. After our initial kickoff weekend, you are welcome to drop off your gifts at the Parish Office throughout the week during office hours, or before/after any weekend Masses! Also important to note, Giving Tree tags have various price points. Some tags feature inexpensive gifts and/or supplies, but make a huge difference to those who need them, and some tags feature more costly gifts. No matter what your giving capacity is, we have a tag for you! There are also a few volunteer opportunities detailed below in the FAQ section, if you are interested in helping out in a hands on kind of way!

Who are we supporting? And what are the tags for? 
The organizations and groups benefitting from the Giving Tree have been carefully chosen based on critical needs. This year we will have 10 trees, and over 1,000 tags! Please join us in supporting our partners and community!

• St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) - St. Philip’s Society of Saint Vincent de Paul serves as the front line of Outreach at St. Philip. They are dedicated to serving individuals and families in need through direct financial assistance. SVdP provides rent assistance, grocery/gas gift cards, and other aid to promote dignity and hope within our very own community. Their tags will be a mix of gifts for their neighbors, online donations, and gift cards.
• St. Philip Homebound Parishioners - Our homebound parishioners are those who are unable to attend Mass on a regular basis and are brought Communion by our Ministers of Care.  They may live in a facility (nursing home, memory care unit, assisted living or senior independent living) located in the Lewisville/Flower Mound/Highland Village area, or in their own home. Our homebound parishioners will receive either religious gifts, or gift bags/baskets full of comforting and practical items so this is what their tags will go towards!
• Catholic Charities of Fort Worth (CCFW) - Catholic Charities Fort Worth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending poverty by supporting individuals and families in achieving long-term stability. Their tags will be for Christmas gifts for the children served by their programs.
• Loreto House, Flower Mound - A compassion based pregnancy center serving moms experiencing crisis pregnancies in the Flower Mound and Lewisville area. Their tags are for infant/toddler gifts for the families they serve. 
• Christ Child Society (CCS) - An apostolate of the Diocese of Fort Worth committed to improving the lives of children in the DFW area, through hands on and material assistance.  Their tags are for hygiene and household items that provide valuable goods to families in need. 
• Diocese of Fort Worth Seminarians - The Seminarians of our Diocese need our support, encouragement, and prayers! A tag for each Seminarian allows us to show our appreciation for their courageous response to God's call. Their tags will be gift card requests! 
• Coats for Kids - Coats for Kids is a charitable program run by the Knights of Columbus that provides new winter coats to children in need. Its mission is to ensure that every child can stay warm, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Coats for Kids will have a few tags that will target specific sizes which are in most need. The blue coat drop off box that we all know, and love will still be out every weekend during Giving Tree, where you can also drop off your gently used or new coats (no tags necessary for this!)
• Friends of St. Philip - The Friends of St. Philip is made up of requests from local families needing assistance with their children's Christmas gifts. These tags will be for those children's Christmas gifts!
• Our Daily Bread (ODB) - Our Daily Bread in Denton is a nonprofit organization that serves people experiencing homelessness and hunger in the Denton area. They provide 3 nutritious meals a day, basic needs services, and support programs to help individuals work toward stability and self-sufficiency. Their tags will be a mix of gifts for their guests who have graduated out of the shelter into stable living programs, as well as online donations for the shelter.
• St. Rita Catholic School - St. Rita Catholic School of Fort Worth is a faith based educational community that provides a rigorous academic program rooted in Catholic values and traditions. They have a little over 100 students and are in need of our help to allow them to keep supporting their families! Their tags will be to sponsor Christmas gifts for students and their siblings.
• Hope for the Holy Land - Hope for the Holy Land is a non-profit organization founded by 2 high school students from Allen, Texas! Their mission, as a 501(c)(3), is to support persecuted Christians in the Middle East through three causes: food vouchers for Christian families in Gaza through Christian Mission to Gaza, university scholarships for Christian students in Iraq through Aid to the Church in Need, and care packages for displaced Christian refugees in Turkey through World Refugees Care. There tags will be for donation towards meals to families in Gaza, scholarships in Iraq, and care packages for refugees in Turkey.

When are the Giving Tree gifts due?
The last gift collection weekend is the weekend of December 6th/7th, where we will be collecting gifts before and after every Mass. If you chose an amazon Wishlist tag or online donation tag, we ask that you please make your purchase/donation before December 14th!
All gifts have the FINAL CUT OFF DUE DATE of the 5pm Mass on Sunday, December 13th. 

Where do I turn in my gifts/drop them off? 
*Please read your gift tags thoroughly, as each gift tag varies and there may be specific instructions for your gift(s)!*
You can drop your gifts off any week day during office hours in SJH, or with our gift collectors in front of the church before/after any weekend mass! Friendly reminder that all gifts have the FINAL CUT OFF DUE DATE of the 5pm Mass on Sunday, December 13th. 

How should I bring my gifts/should I wrap my gifts?

• Giving Tree gift tags must be taped to gift items securely to help us with sorting and delivery. Please do not misplace your tags, and if you do, no worries, but please be sure to contact Abigail Merdan (contact info below.) A helpful tip is to take a picture of the tags you take, to avoid losing the info:)
  
• Please do not wrap any of the gifts. If you are able, please place your gifts into gift bags, as it makes it easier for the recipients to "wrap" them later on!
• If your tag has several gift items, please ensure that all of the items are together. If this requires you to place them in a box or container because they would not fit into a bag, that is totally okay!
  

How many tags can I take?
You are free to take as many tags as you would like! However, we do ask that you make sure you bring the requested gifts back, or make online purchases as outlined, for every tag you take. Each gift tag represents an actual person with a gift and/or need request, and we are committed to ensuring that each person we represent will receive a Christmas gift. Also please do not misplace your tags, and if you do, no worries, but please be sure to contact Abigail Merdan (contact info below.) A helpful tip is to take a picture of the tags you take, in order to avoid losing the information!

What should I buy?
Please purchase what is listed on the gift tag that you've selected. Some tags simply have suggested items, so you can pick whatever you would like to/are able to buy. Some tags have information/description about the child/person, but it is up to you to choose what to buy. Other tags are amazon wishlist tags, so you are free to buy anything you would like/are able to and ship directly to that Giving Tree partner. 
If you have any questions, please contact Abigail Merdan (contact info below!)

How else can I help out?

• As an additional offering of goodwill and love, we can pray for the gift recipient! We may not always witness the fruits of our prayers, but our Lord in Heaven sees everything, especially the desires of our hearts.  Please consider praying for the person(s) you shop for and ask our Lord to bless them and provide for their intentions. If you're unable to take a tag this year, the gift of your prayer is just as valuable!
  
• There is an opportunity to help out under the tent during one of the 4 Giving Tree weekends, either with tag distribution or gift collection! The time slots are 30 minutes before weekend Masses, and 30 minutes after. The first 2 weekends will be tag distribution weekends and the last 2 weekends will be gift collection weekends. All you have to do is show up a little earlier for mass, and/or stay a tad bit later! The main objective of these volunteers is to be hospitable, answer questions, and spread holiday cheer! The sign up can be found below.
• If you like to wrap presents and put together gift baskets, we would love for you to join us on December 18th to put together our Homebound Parishioner's Christmas baskets and gifts! Please go to the sign up below for more details on when and where this will take place!
• We need your help delivering Christmas baskets/gifts to our homebound parishioners! Over 180 parishioners who cannot attend Mass regularly will receive gifts delivered by volunteers to nursing homes, assisted living centers, and private homes in the Flower Mound and Lewisville areas. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to serve together! Volunteers will pick up gifts and delivery instructions on Friday, December 18th in St. Joseph Hall. The sign up for this can be found below. If you are unable to pick them up on December 12th but want to help, please contact Diane Jones at 817-999-1347.