NEPCA Winter 2024 Charity Project Summary - Happy New Year!

NEPCA Winter  2024 Charity Project Summary
NEPCA Volunteer Team
December 30, 2024

As the snowflakes began to fall, marking the start of winter 2024, NEPCA volunteers took action to bring joy and warmth to those in need in our community. While this season is often associated with joy, reunions, and gift-giving, many individuals face it alone or without the resources to celebrate. Driven by love and compassion, our volunteers delivered gifts to seniors in care homes, homeless individuals, and children from low-income families.

These gifts were more than just material support—they carried heartfelt good wishes from our volunteers. We believe that love, like a seed, takes root and grows in the hearts of those who receive it, fostering hope within our communities.

This year’s charity activities included three key initiatives: distributing 2,000 toys, 90 winter care packages for the Philadelphia Protestant Home seniors, and Whosoever Gospel Mission homeless shelter.

Partnership collaboration to distributed two thousand toys 

NEPCA received approximately two thousand toys and over a hundred anti-snore solution kit donations from an Amazon seller. We shared them with eight community partners for distribution to children, seniors, and homeless individuals. Participating partners included:

  • 2nd Police District of Philadelphia
  • Catholic Social Services
  • Northeast Regional Library
  • OCCDA
  • Philadelphia Protestant Home
  • Philly Moms Helping Moms
  • Public Health Center 10
  • Whosoever Gospel Mission / The Lighthouse Thrift

We sincerely thank our donor, Mrs. Aidong Wu, for the generous donation.

Picture 1: Sample toys from the 2,000 items NEPCA distributed to its partners.



Delivered 90 Winter Care Packs to Seniors and Homeless men

Our winter care packages for seniors and homeless men included:

  • A custom-designed calendar and greeting card created by our youth volunteers
  • A manicure set
  • A scarf, gloves, and socks
  • A comb, lip balm, lotion
  • A notepad, pen, and toothbrush

Each care pack had an approximate retail value of $10. We are deeply thankful to the Philadelphia Activity Fund, the Asian Mosaic Fund, and our private sponsors for their financial support in making these gift bags possible.

Picture 2: Gift items for homeless shelters and senior homes.



 Picture 3: Greeting card for homeless shelters and senior homes (front & back).







Philadelphia Protestant Home (PPH)

Since 2023, NEPCA has delivered 30 winter care packages annually to the elderly at PPH. Last year, Wilmar, a senior recipient, expressed heartfelt gratitude through several phone calls to our volunteers for making her feel special. We planned to visit her this December and give her a hug, only to learn that she had passed away. Her memory reminds us to cherish the present and to actively express love and care to those around us.

Whosoever Gospel Mission

On December 22, 2024, NEPCA volunteers delivered 60 winter care packages to homeless residents at Whosoever Gospel Mission. During the visit, we learned about the shelter's programs and its incredible patience and long-term support for the homeless men in the rehabilitation program. One extreme case is one individual who, after 13 times in and out of the program, finally achieved stability with the Mission's help. We were moved by the mission’s compassionate work and honored to contribute love and good wishes to its 55 current residents in the rehabilitation program.

Conclusion

The NEPCA volunteer team feels truly blessed to have worked with community partners to deliver gifts and share happiness that touched the hearts of children, the homeless, and the elderly. Every gift symbolized care, and every smile carried hope. Both volunteers and recipients experienced the power of love—a force that makes the world kinder and more compassionate.

Reflecting on the experience, volunteer Asley Yang shared:

“This volunteering opportunity made me realize how fortunate I am to have the care of my family and the warmth of my home because I understood that not everyone is as lucky. While wrapping these gifts, I imagined the laughter and gratitude of those receiving them. At that moment, I realized the true meaning of gift-giving: lighting up lives, spreading hope, and creating joyful memories.”

By spreading seeds of love, we made this winter warmer and more beautiful. Our volunteer team cheers to another year of giving!

We wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!
















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