St. Peter School on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., collected 370 Christmas gifts for children and teens in need. The toy drive coincided with the school’s Christmas Concert and Pageant on Dec. 15. The toys will be delivered to youth through Everyone Home DC, a nonprofit that supports the “holistic needs of individuals and families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness,” according to the organization’s website.  

At the concert and pageant, St. Peter’s students performed Christmas songs and re-enacted the Nativity story. 

“Advent is a season of hope and anticipation when we reflect on the gifts we receive through Christ and how we can share our blessings with family, friends and neighbors,” said Karen Clay, the principal of St. Peter School. “We’re called to be a light to others in darkness, and this annual tradition is one way that the St. Peter School community can bring joy to others.”

St. Peter School beat its own record, as the 370 gifts more than doubled what students collected a year ago. 

The school contributes to community service year-round, as every month, students raise money and engage in projects with organizations that address various needs, including supporting military veterans and first responders, the elderly poor at the Little Sisters’ Jeanne Jugan Residence in Washington, the Greg Gannon Canned Food Drive, baking holiday cookies for homebound neighbors, and raising funds for their “twinned” parish school in Haiti.