Isaac Garcia, an 8th grader at Community of Saints School, helped bring Christmas again this year to homeless people. Last year, at COS, he organized the collection of enough items to gift over 100 people at a local homeless shelter. This year, St. Matthew’s offered to help Isaac collect items for gifts. Donations included hand warmers, socks, hats, mittens, scarves, sweaters, boots, jackets, bottled water, soap, fruit snacks, granola bars, toothbrushes, deodorant, combs, hair brushes disposable razors, small toys for babies & children, and diapers.
Here is an article that appeared in the December 17, 2019, edition of the The Catholic Spirit.
Youth’s compassion for the homeless leads to annual outreach
From left, eighth-graders Isaac Garcia, Marly Rodriguez, Francisco Hernandez and Adri Silva assemble Isaac’s Blessing Bags at Community of Saints Regional Catholic School in West St. Paul Dec. 13. Garcia came up with the idea, and the other three students have been helping to get the items and assemble the bags. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
In case the above article becomes unreachable in the future, below is the text of the article.
Youth’s compassion for the homeless leads to annual outreach
Catholic News Service | Debbie Musser | December 17, 2019
Three years ago, Isaac Garcia moved from Inver Grove Heights with his parents and brother to St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.
Each day on the way to school, the 10-year-old boy noticed something he had never seen before: homeless people waiting in the cold to get into the public library.
“Isaac had so many questions … how could this happen, how can God let these people live on the streets, how can I help?” said Tara Perron, Isaac’s mother.
“He asked if the homeless could use the extra room in our house and our RV in the driveway,” she said. “Isaac would watch them, and he would get emotional, especially when he saw homeless families.”
Perron suggested that her son write down how he felt and what he wanted to do. Garcia related what he saw and how sad it made him. And he had a plan.
“I choose to do my best to feed and warm the poor … to work at getting donations and making sure the poor people will at least have one night of warmth and some food this Christmas. I will not stop until I have succeeded. … This is my Christmas wish.”
Garcia shared his letter with his Native American community; his school, Community of Saints Regional Catholic School in West St. Paul; his church, St. Matthew in St. Paul, and his new neighborhood. Soon after, donations were pouring in for Isaac’s Blessing Bags, full of items for distribution at Christmastime to those in need at Dayton’s Bluff First Lutheran Church.
In 2018, Garcia’s project was highlighted by the Aim Higher Foundation, which provides need-based scholarships for Catholic school students in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, during its annual Night of Light fundraising dinner.
“Jesus was my main motivation,” said Garcia, now 13 and an eighth grader. “He sacrificed himself for us to go to heaven. So, I thought, how can I return that by helping others?”
First Lutheran Church’s outreach includes its Love Grows Here Wellness Center, which helps the homeless and disadvantaged, in partnership with nearby Metropolitan State University.
Finished bags are placed into carrying bags Garcia uses to make deliveries. Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
“Each Wednesday evening, Metro State nursing students provide free foot care, blood pressure checks and hand massage; we make a meal together and provide other things like haircuts and clothing,” said Pastor Chris Olson Bingea.
On Dec. 18, Garcia planned to lead the effort at the wellness center for the third straight year, distributing Isaac’s Blessing Bags filled with basic necessities such as socks, handwarmers, soap, shampoo, Kleenex, bottled water and granola bars.
“Isaac is a remarkable young man,” Olson Bingea said. “He insists on being the person who directly gives his bags to people struggling in poverty, I think, because he’s already discovered how important it is to be in a relationship with people.”
Each Advent season, Community of Saints supports Isaac’s Blessing Bags as an all-school servant leadership project.
“That first year, Isaac provided a list of items that would be helpful for his bags, and we published it in our school newsletter,” said Bridget Kramer, the principal. “Our student leadership team helped Isaac sort and fill the bags. Word has gotten around, and the greater community is now contributing to Isaac’s amazing initiative as well.”
Kramer notes that Garcia’s leadership in helping the homeless has made an impact at the school.
“Our students, and staff as well, look to Isaac as a staple of faith and love in our community,” Kramer said. “He is truly an example of Christ’s love.”
Garcia also solicits donations from his church each year, speaking to St. Matthew’s congregation at weekend Masses.
“I thought Isaac’s Blessing Bags would be a ‘one and done’ Christmas deal, but no, Isaac is so committed to this each year,” Perron said.
“He writes thank you cards to tell people how appreciative he is for donations,” she said. “I’m so proud of Isaac. He’s truly an inspiration to me.”
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