Bringing Christmas joy to local families through ‘Change a Child’s Christmas’
By Tribune Staff
GLEN CARBON – Father McGivney Catholic High School (FMCHS) students demonstrated their continued commitment to serving their community this holiday season through the schoolwide, “Change a Child’s Christmas” project led by McGivney’s Chapter of the National Honors Society. In partnership with Brightpoint in Granite City, the school’s 16 Houses each sponsored a local family in need—ultimately donating an impressive $9,000 to purchase gifts and necessities for 16 families across the community.
Brightpoint provided FMCHS with a list of items for each family whose Christmas needs might otherwise go unmet. Students from each House organized fundraising efforts, pooled donations and thoughtfully purchased gifts tailored to their assigned family’s needs and wish lists. Family names remain anonymous. The project not only allowed students to give back but also helped them grow in empathy, teamwork and service to others. “Being able to see the abundance of gifts we were able to give back warmed my heart and all those around me,” said Erin Kretzer, project co-chair. “These families are struggling in different ways and these gifts provide a sense of hope and serve as support for vulnerable families, helping to ease their financial burden.”
When representatives from Father McGivney delivered the gifts to Brightpoint, they learned that the organization had recently lost some community assistance, leaving several additional families still in need. In response, the Father McGivney Chapter of the National Honor Society chose to extend the impact of the project even further. The executive board agreed to donate an additional $1,000 earned through used uniform sales to help Brightpoint support those remaining families, ensuring more children will have a joyful Christmas morning. “As a Christian, it’s important to give back to our community and ensure everyone can experience holiday joy,” said Kretzer.
The McGivney National Honor Society has service at the heart of their mission. In addition to Change a Child’s Christmas, students lead a number of other service projects, including Peer Tutoring for our feeder schools and current McGivney students, Cansgiving, two community blood drives each year, and provide baked goods monthly for Badges of Honor. New this year, students have started the “Pet Pantry Project” in which blankets and homemade pet treats are donated to area shelters.
“Service is a pillar of the National Honors Society,” said Bobbie Madura, NHS Advisor. “These students are the leaders of our school. They are looking at service through a different lens and seeing what they can do to make an impact in our larger community.” In addition to the required service hours for students at McGivney, members of the NHS complete an additional 20 hours of service a year.
Students are the ones developing the ideas, forming the committees, organizing the service and making an impact. “All of our committees and outreach initiatives arise from students seeking to serve the broader community and to engage peers who may not otherwise know how to contribute,” added Madura. “These efforts also provide meaningful leadership opportunities beyond those typically available within the school setting.”
Father McGivney Catholic High School is proud to continue its mission of forming young people in faith, service, and leadership—and the success of this year’s “Change a Child’s Christmas” project reflects that mission in action.
