The Christmas program at My Brother’s Keeper has become a year-round project, with many volunteers working hard even during the summer months to provide special gifts for mothers and teens, an area where we’re always short.

For years, ladies like Mary Belanger, Debbie Barry, Kathy Jones, Mary Lou Jackson, Patti Stokinger, Ann Marie Gill, Diane Dias and Sue Male have led groups assembling beautiful gifts baskets filled with soaps, lotions, make up, and perfumes.

A void still existed so seamstresses led by Maeve Paul and Roberta Hobaica began sewing aprons and warm fleece shawls.

The past two years, to help meet the ever-increasing need, Maureen Savoie assembled a group of creative women to make tote bags and knitted hats & scarves using fabric donated by Howie Bernstein, owner of Sam’s Drapery in Readville, owner of Sam’s Drapery in Readville, and Joanne Mills of Miles River Sewing in Andover.

This year, the group made more than 400 hats & scarves and 220 stylish bags which will be filled with things like matching coin purses, candles, lotions, and other nice gifts complements of Clean Harbors in Norwell.

We give a special thanks to all these volunteers, especially the members of the local chapters of the Window Covering Association of America, who gave so generously of their time, talent and love. Their efforts will be deeply appreciated by those we serve, especially the selfless mothers who do not expect gifts, only wanting their children to be happy.