Catholic Charities Fourth Annual Easter Baskets of P-LENT-Y Drive
What is the Easter Basket of Plenty Drive?
Catholic Charities’ Easter Basket of Plenty Drive is an annual fundraiser that is being expanded this year to serve more children of Catholic Charities client families. We are collecting Easter Basket supplies, to make Easter Baskets for 3 groups of our low-income clients whose children would otherwise not be able to enjoy this secular aspect of Easter:
1) poor migrant farmworker children of Southeastern Hillsborough County who live at our San Jose Mission affordable apartments;
2) children at our Pasco Family (Homeless) Shelter in Port Richey; and
3) children of families assisted through our Pathways to Self-Sufficiency Program (helps them avoid homelessness).
This drive begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until the weekend before Easter Sunday. Specifically, the 2024 drive begins on February 14 and ends March 28. The drive is meant to follow the 40 days of Lent so ends on March 28th (last day for cash donations). On this date, Easter Baskets will be delivered to the parents of the children of Pathways and Pasco Family Shelter.
The children at San Jose Mission will be given their Easter Baskets at an event held on the morning of Holy Saturday, March 30th, including an appearance by the Easter Bunny, Easter Egg Hunts, music courtesy of Spirit FM 90.5 as well as snacks and refreshments.
When: March 30, 2024 (Holy Saturday): 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Where: Pope Francis Community Center, 3238 San Jose Mission Dr., Dover FL 33527
What: Easter Baskets handed out | Easter Bunny photographs | Easter Egg Hunt | Music & Games
Full Supplies List & Drop-Off Locations (still in progress)
Last Year’s Event
575 baskets were made for the children of low-income farm worker families at San Jose Mission and San Juan Diego Mission. These baskets were created due to the generous participation of 12 parishes in the Easter Basket of Plenty Drive. Multiple community members and parishioners generously donated Easter supplies and $2,000 cash for this year’s event. Thanks to this combined effort, the children had an extra special Easter. THANK YOU TO students, staff and parents of St. Anthony Catholic School (San Antonio, FL) who volunteered to run the Easter Egg Hunt games.
Thank you to last year’s participating donors and volunteers!