Each year Ascension pairs with Bethel New Life to help bring Christmas to families and seniors in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood.
 
In 2011, Ascension families “adopted” fourteen seniors, providing a grocery gift card and much needed winter clothing for seniors in Bethel’s programs.  Ascension families and members of the community also purchased numerous toys, clothes, and household items for Bethel’s Christmas Store, allowing families to buy gifts for a fraction of the cost of going to a retail store.  Proceeds from the Christmas Store benefited the West side’s Al Raby High School.
 
To keep the Bethel program going for Christmas 2012, a new coordinator is needed!

As Ascension’s liaison with Bethel, you will be communicating with Bethel staff in the fall regarding the number of seniors to be adopted, coordinating Bethel’s visit to Ascension for a Temple Talk in the fall/winter, coordinating a delivery date for Ascension’s donations in December, and attending a kick-off meeting and a follow-up meeting with Bethel staff.  On the Ascension side, you will create a display board for the congregation to “adopt” for seniors, coordinate volunteers from Ascension to deliver donations to Bethel and work at the Christmas Store, write related announcements for the Witness and bulletin, and attend monthly Service Ministries meetings at Ascension. Contact Gail or Alice for more information.