As the holiday season is quickly approaching, the Seattle Prep community is pooling together their resources in order provide donations and support to local families and organizations through the school’s annual Christmas Giving Tree Program. Similarly to previous years, the Giving Tree itself will be located just outside the Office of Student Life, where students can come up to the tree and pick off an ornament which will be labeled with dollar amounts and locations of stores which are all in close proximity to the Downtown Seattle area. All the store-specific gift cards collected are requested by three local Catholic housing service communities– Dorthy Day house, Bakhita Gardens, and Saint Martin’s House.
When asked about the overarching mission behind Seattle Prep’s Giving Tree Program, Mrs. Miller, the Director of the Magis Christian Service program said, “Our goal is to make visible the spirit of giving that is central to the Christmas season and that is also a part of our advent preparations–thus being a time we are invited to see where in our communities the birth of Christ is most needed”. Similarly, Giving Tree committee member Lissie Grinstein ‘25 commented, “One of Prep’s core values–being men and women for others–is realized through the Giving Tree program which provides simple ways for the community to come together to support those in need”.
Besides the tree itself Seattle Prep also has each individual grade adopt a specific organization which students then collect specific supplies to donate to different marginalized communities. This year, Prep partnered with four organizations that focus on supporting families, and with Prep being a family itself, this shared mission to help families was a key factor in selecting these organizations to receive donations. In order to collect these donations each grade–except seniors–will have boxes in their designated Collegio classrooms to drop off donations, and for senior’s donations will be dropped off in the library.
The key to this giving program is to participate in any way individuals are able too. If purchasing donations isn’t realistic there are many other ways to participate such as helping load donations towards the end of the month, helping sort out donations or volunteering one’s time at the organization itself. For students looking to get involved through donations, Grinstein believes it is “Vital for students to understand the goals of whatever charity they are donating to, as it helps connect them to the marginalized community that they are aiding through their donations”. Thus, making the whole experience more personal.
There is always a way to participate in The Giving season in a way that builds community, which is why Mrs. Miller also provided a suggestion to make the purchasing of donations a fun community building activity, “if your grade has adopted treehouse I think it could be fun to go to Fred Myer with your friends and see who can find the coolest gift that reminds them of their youth”. This is just one of many ways that the Prep community can gather as a community to help those in need during the Christmas holidays.
Everyone is encouraged to take part in this annual Giving Tree Program that Prep offers and with Christmas quickly approaching remember the gift that each of us, within the Prep community, is given and remember that this season is a time to spread the love to everyone in our communities. The Giving Tree provides the community an opportunity to take a step back to realize and be thankful for all the basic necessities which may often be overlooked and utilize that privilege for the greater good by giving back to support those who are not as fortunate.
“When we practice generosity in the holiday season it is a way for us to both prepare ourselves for the Christmas holiday and celebrate the birth of Christ by being attentive to the places in our world that are crying out for the things that Christ brings — peace, hope, joy” Miller said.
