After hearing a homily in 2003 Patty Knecht and her family, parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown, were inspired to start Holiday Hope Chest (HHC), a non-profit organization that provides interactive Christmas shopping experiences free of charge for families facing financial hardships in the Chester County region.
The homily discussed the Gospel story of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with loaves and fishes (which appears in all four Gospels of the Bible), and this prompted Knecht and husband Duane to talk with the couple’s then-teenage sons, students at Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown.
As a result, the family of four felt motivated to give back to their community, and HHC was born as a grassroots 501(c) charitable organization with an all-volunteer staff and a motto of “Community Helping Community.”
The family received much help and support from both their home parish and school as well as other charitable people and organizations in the surrounding area.
This year, HHC created five pop-up stores in local churches and schools during the Christmas shopping season. Locations included Downingtown, Coatesville, West Chester, West Grove and Phoenixville, and they drew residents and some people from parts of Montgomery and Berks counties.
Pop-up stores provided over 7,000 gifts in a range of dollar values, including an assortment of new toys, STEM educational gifts, books, sports equipment, and “anything that’s going to support children in their ongoing development,” said Knecht.
HHC engages local community agencies – including Domestic Violence Center of Chester County and Community Youth and Women’s Alliance (CYWA) – to identify families in need and provide them with vouchers that can be exchanged for HHC “dollars” when families arrive at a pop-up location on their designated shopping day.
A student volunteer is assigned to each family as a “personal shopper” to assist parents with selecting gifts, and even to entertain children while parents shop.
“Choice is very important to them,” said Knecht of the parents who shop at HHC pop-up shops. It enables them “to feel empowered to be able to make that choice for their own children.”
This year HHC welcomed 75 adult volunteers and over 200 student volunteers who worked to “create a fun store (shopping) experience,” said Knecht.
HHC collected $15,000 in donations for gift purchases this year, as well as receiving numerous gift donations from charitable people in the community.
“There were many days I prayed on it,” Knecht said of times HHC needed more toys and donations, and generous community members consistently came through.
Knecht recalls a fellow parishioner “who showed up with about 60 or 70 toys” one day. “There’s just good angels that really understand (the need),” she said of the people who donate.
HHC shops served more than 1,000 families in need this Christmas season, 200 more than last year.
“The need was more this year,” said Knecht. “The demand from our communities was a little bit overwhelming.”
“We’re here to help people who are having a really tough year feel good about something,” said Knecht, reflecting on 21 years of providing Christmas gift shopping free of charge to local families in need. “They can shop and they can find that perfect gift – something we all want – for a family member.”
Visit Holiday Hope Chest’s web page for more information and ways to contribute: https://holidayhopechest.org.