City Mission Society has posted information about its annual Christmas Shop. Their press release follows.

For decades, the Boston City Mission Society Christmas Shop has served as a catalyst for people of faith to find ways to reach out to others. CMS’s successful Christmas Shop brings hope and joy to children and families in the most need during the holiday season. CMS collects thousands of gift items, which are provided, collected, and sorted by volunteers from dozens of congregations, youth groups, college students, and several businesses. Over 300 volunteers contribute their time to make this program a success. We are also grateful to First Congregational Church in Winchester for their hospitality and generous gift of space to us for the Shop.

These clothes, toys, books, and household goods are then made available to our own Homelessness Prevention clients. In addition, we work with several other community partners who receive a portion of these donations and distribute them to their own clients. More than 4,000 people were served by this program in 2010.

Each year, people’s generosity is only matched by their genuine enthusiasm for participating in the giving and volunteering that is essential to the Shop’s success. The best stories of holiday giving are about hundreds of people who reach into their hearts, their pocketbooks, and their personal time to give and unconditionally care about people they have never met through the CMS Christmas Shop.

If you wish to give a gift or to volunteer, here are the dates and times.

Photo from City Mission Society website.

- Sat. Dec. 8: from 10-4
- Sun. Dec. 9: from 1-5
- Sat. Dec. 15: from 10-4
- Sun. Dec. 16: from 1-5
- Mon. Dec. 17: from 10-2

Please contact Carl McDonald at CMS to arrange a day/time to drop off your gift, or to offer your services as a volunteer. Suggested gift list follows:

2012 Christmas Shop Gift List
We accept only NEW items:

- Winter coats, sweaters and sweatshirts
- Hats, mittens, gloves and scarves
- Socks and underwear
- Blankets and backpacks
- Toys, books, and games for all ages
- Gift cards from Target, Walgreens, Marshalls, CVS, Kohls or other merchants

Directions to the Christmas Shop at First Church in Winchester.

Thanks to our Special Friends: The Louisa May Alcott Museum 399 Lexington Road Concord: "Through December 16th and in the spirit of charitable giving for which the Alcotts were so known, Orchard House is accepting donations of merchandise purchased in our Museum Store for distribution to families served by Boston’s City Mission Society."

Endorsed by Justice & Witness Ministries