SOMERS POINT – Students at St. Joseph Regional School collected more than 750 gifts to be distributed to those less fortunate this holiday season. The presents were placed under a Christmas tree at a Mass held in St. Joseph’s Church Wednesday morning, Dec.12.

The presents were festively wrapped and trimmed with ribbons, bows and bells. Each child brought their donations to the altar and placed them under the tree.

The gifts will be picked up by the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, an organization dedicated to helping those in need.

Mickie Strack, the organizer from St. Vincent DePaul who attended the Mass, said the students do an awesome job of gathering presents. There are fewer than 500 students in the school, and each year they bring in about 750 gifts.

“We distribute them to 50 local families, adult day care centers and children’s day care centers,” said Strack. “This is something we do every year. The children here are very generous. I send information to the school so they know what is needed most prior to purchasing the gifts.”

The St. Vincent dePaul Society offers numerous services, such as food programs, emergency financial assistance and transportation, disaster relief, rent and mortgage assistance, low-cost housing, shelters for the homeless and abused, assistance to victims of AIDS, substance abuse and crime, job training, employment services, thrift stores and more. For information visit www.svdpusa.org.

— T.S. Evans