Over 200 New Winter
Coats Bound for NYC’s Homeless this Thanksgiving
* Story of Little Girl’s Compassion in
1940 Inspires Others 60 Years Later
* Over $5,000 Donated from 23 States
By Holly Tirips
November 17, 2005 – Lancaster, Pa. – On Wednesday, November 23, members from Mychal’s Message will be on West 31st Street in Manhattan with over 200 new winter coats, hats and gloves to be given away to the homeless men and women who visit the Breadline at St. Francis of Assisi Church early that morning.
Recalling the story of a little girl who gave her coat to St. Anthony on a cold winter day in 1940, Mychal’s Message sent out an urgent plea to its 550 supporters urging them to follow in her footsteps by purchasing coats for NYC’s homeless. On a project flier entitled “St. Anthony’s Coat,” they shared the true story of a little girl named Gertrude who was on her way to school one cold winter morning in 1940 when she noticed a statue near a grotto at St. Joseph’s Church in East Rutherford, NJ. He looks cold, she thought. Minutes later, in the little girl’s classroom, a nun scolded her for having no coat. “Where is your coat, Gertrude?” The little girl looked up and simply responded, “Sister, I gave it to St. Anthony.”
After discussing various Christmas project ideas with Franciscan Father Cassian Miles, OFM of St. Francis Church, Manhattan, members from Mychal’s Message agreed that this project would meet the greatest need for the homeless this winter – warmth.
“Each visit to the mailbox was a spiritual experience, one that often brought me to tears,” said Sharon Hickey of Mychal’s Message, who picked up the mail each day. “To think that so many people with such kind hearts have responded to our plea is just overwhelming.” Donors from 23 states and as far away as Alaska sent checks and letters offering to purchase a coat for a homeless man or woman. A family from Carlisle, Pa. sent a donation to purchase 10 coats. Pam from Corona, Ca. wrote, “This is a good idea. It’s practical. Dorothy Day, our Social Justice Saint, would be proud of you. Blessings upon you.” From Jeanne in Baltimore, Md. came a letter that read, “We do not go to heaven because of what we do, we go because we ‘want’ to do.”
Since its inception, Mychal’s Message has collected and distributed thousands of new items to the homeless in memory of FDNY Chaplain, Franciscan Father Mychal Judge who was killed on 9-11 in 2001in the Manhattan terrorist attack. Founded by then 11-year-old Shannon Hickey, Mychal’s Message is a non-profit organization registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State as a Charitable Organization.
Shannon, now 15 years old, will be on the Breadline on Wednesday, November 23 giving the gift of warmth to NYC’s homeless, along with her brother Christopher, 7 years old, and sister, Erin Mary, 4 years old. They too want to follow in the footsteps of little Gertrude from so long ago.
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This page was last updated on: January 13, 2006.
Mychal's Message, Inc. is registered as a charitable organization with the Department of State's Bureau of Charitable Organizations under the Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act, 10 P.S. Section 16.2 et seq., and is authorized to solicit charitable contributions under the conditions and limitations set forth under the Act. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of State, Bureau of Charitable Organizations