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Some parish leaders in the Albany Diocese looked below the surface when planning their Christmastime collections for people in need this year: They asked parishioners to donate underwear.

St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany went so far as to organize "Undie Sunday," a drop-off day for the underwear, socks and bras people bought. There were 350 packages donated, which were delivered to about a dozen area homeless shelters and outreach programs.

"It was really overwhelming," said Angela Warner, director of the parish food pantry and social justice ministries. It was the first time the parish did this kind of collection, so she "had no idea what to expect.

"It was a tremendous success," she concluded.

St. Vincent's peace and justice committee had done winter blanket and sheet drives for many years, but a committee member noticed that the quality of some of the collected items didn't "respect the recipients" and suggested trying something a little different.

"I don't think it's something that people think of donating," Ms. Warner said of new underwear for men, women and children. "It makes people feel good about themselves in a very small way - [to have] something clean and new. It restores some dignity to people."

St. Vincent's has decided to hold the collection every year.

St. Lucy/St. Bernadette parish in Altamont already collects underwear every year for the Hilltowns Community Resource Center, through which the parish also adopts a needy family to provide with holiday gifts.

This year, parishioners gave about six garbage bags full of underwear, undershirts and socks, plus a half-dozen boxes of diapers and pull-ups.

"It just goes to the basic necessities," said Leah Kedik, pastoral associate for faith formation. "We're called to meet the needs [of] the poor. It's fun to go out shopping. I don't know if it's as much fun [as buying items like toys], but you definitely feel the same personal gratification that you are filling a basic need."

Recently, St. Lucy/St. Bernadette teens and confirmation candidates baked about 30 apple pies for Christmas deliveries. Teen and adult parishioners also participate in delivering Christmas poinsettias to homebound parishioners.

Teens from St. Madeleine Sophie parish in Schenectady and St. Gabriel the Archangel parish in Rotterdam donated packages of socks and underwear at a recent youth group meeting that also featured a gift exchange. Tahlia Hadley, youth minister for the combined program, likes to shake things up with collections and make the youth think; she's also held collections of canned goods that asked for can openers along with the food.

Underwear, Mrs. Hadley said, is "something they take for granted. Once you have a hole in your sock, you notice it when it rubs against your shoe." She hopes the teens will now "look [at] the bigger picture."[[In-content Ad]]

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