A SEASON OF GIVING FOR HS ’79
by Pia Benitez-Yupangco
The AC sisterhood extends beyond sharing our personal lives with each other. It has been transformed more and more, for our batch, into a collective heart to share our blessings with others. This becomes most evident over the Christmas season.
In 2018, the batch held a fulfilling Christmas event at the Our Lady of the Assumption Novitiate in Old Balara, QC. Batch ’79 volunteers played games and distributed meals and gifts to the children around the area.
Christmas 2019 saw collective support for two of our batchmates’ causes, raising funds to buy blankets for Laura Vicuña and bancas for the indigenous people of Lake Sebu.
In 2020, a pandemic presented new challenges to us, and to communities around us. Recognizing how much God has given us in resources, camaraderie, and love, Batch ’79 has collectively responded to the needs that have arisen in a heightened time of crisis. For years now, our Christmas calendars have always included a batch celebration. While the pandemic halted a face-to-face one, technology still brought us together – in the spirit of friendship, for the benefit of others.
PPE Donations
We answered the call for PPEs sorely lacking in the early days of the pandemic, donating 200 PPEs and washable facemasks for frontliners in Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Sta. Ana Hospital, Tanza Cavite Municipal Hospital, Mary Johnston Hospital, and Ospital ng Tondo.
Meals for Frontliners
In cooperation with the Meal-a-Day Program of the Miladay Foundation, Healing Servants Foundation, and Melo’s Kitchen, the Batch donated some 280 meals for frontliners in St. Luke’s Medical Center, Manila Medical Center, and Capitol Medical Center. Batch volunteers wrote personalized notes for each of these meals, to thank the frontliners for their courage.
Support for AC Schools
The batch provided funds for a much-needed generator for the AC Mission School Sta. Rita Academy in Sibalom, Antique.
We likewise assisted AC College Scholars in the purchase of laptops necessary for participation in online classes.
Talented Tarts
To support our Batch entrepreneurs, Talented Tarts, a digital Christmas catalog featuring products to tickle taste buds, and make perfect gifts, was created and sent out to friends and family these last couple of years.
A Christmas Card to Give and Receive
In December 2020, we released Christmas gift cards for sale, the proceeds of which went to AC Schools in the remote areas of Kauswagan, Lanao, and Kibangay, Bukidnon. The funds were used to develop the learning modules that would ensure continued education without the usual face-to-face classes.
Recently, in 2021, we once again released Holiday gift cards whose proceeds will support the AC Mission Schools of Assumption Socie-Educational Center in Barrio Obrero and Assumption, Passi, both in Iloilo.
We hope to continue to do what we can to be conduits of God’s blessings.