Grace Church In Hoboken Gives More Than 1,000 Gifts To Families

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Grace, a non-denominational community church, held its sixth annual Hoboken Christmas Exchange a week ago Saturday.

Each year, the church — which undertakes charitable events throughout the year including a day of service — "provides gifts to marginalized families and children ensuring that they experience a Christmas morning filled with joy," noted a spokesperson.

This year, more than 1,075 children from 334 families received gifts, including toys, clothing and books. Gift donations came in from 425 different people and nearly 200 volunteers helped coordinate the event.

For safety, a range of health precautions were implemented to ensure the use of PPE with appropriate social distancing.

The Hoboken Christmas Exchange was born out of the idea that no child should go without a Christmas gift, and Hoboken Grace is committed to realizing that change in the local communities we serve no matter the circumstances.

“It was a long and difficult year for many families,” said James Sproule, community impact director at Hoboken Grace. “As a community church, we hear directly from those who walk into our doors about the challenges they are experiencing. Stress was intensifying as 2020 continued, so we committed to expanding our on-the-ground impact because of the difficult economic conditions. It was especially important this Christmas.”

To identify families most in need, Hoboken Grace partnered with organizations throughout Hudson County, including Hoboken Housing Authority, HOPES CAP, The Jubilee Center, TRUE Mentors, Boys and Girls Clubs of Hudson County, In Jesus Name Charities and the Hoboken Police Department.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity and willingness to give, especially with this year’s unprecedented hardships and health concerns,” said Tina, the mother of a gift recipient from Hoboken. “I want to thank all of the Hoboken Christmas Gift Exchange donors and volunteers for their selflessness and thoughtfulness, and may God watch over you and your families to keep you safe!”

“Running from your bedroom to the Christmas tree is one of those memories that I think many of us cherish as we look back at our childhood,” said Danny Perez, Resident Services Coordinator at Hoboken Housing Authority. “We can’t just stand by and hope that other children have that experience too. It takes action, and so we are proud to partner with Hoboken Grace to make Christmas special for these families in our community.”

“We don’t just live here, we love here,” said Chris High, Lead Pastor at Hoboken Grace. “Whether it’s financial, spiritual, emotional or mental help, we are always going to do everything we can to provide

support. The Hoboken Christmas Exchange is one big piece of that, and we can’t wait to see how God guides this event, our community and our church moving forward.”

To learn more visit www.hobokengrace.com.

Holiday services

Hoboken Grace offers three in-person and online service options on Sundays: 9:30 am, 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Registration is required for in-person services.

Everyone is invited to experience Christmas at Hoboken Grace, in-person or online.

Online Christmas Sunday (12/20): 9:30am, 11:00 am & 12:30pm (live.hobokengrace.com)
In-Person Christmas Sunday* (12/20): 9:30am, 11:00 am & 12:30pm (301 Garden Street)
In-Person Christmas Eve Outdoor Special* (12/24): 4:00pm (1429 Adams Street & Online)
*Registration is required for in-person services.

This story is part of Patch's Headlining Hope series, which profiles local nonprofits and charitable organizations in need of volunteers and resources. If you know of a local organization that should be profiled, contact caren.lissner@patch.com.

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