On Saturday, October 17, 2026, 27 volunteers, including 15 FPS folks, worked in an assembly line in the Parish Hall to create holiday gift bags of personal care items for men and women incarcerated in Massachusetts. We had fun assembling and boxing 360 bags in less than two hours! At times we felt like Lucy and Ethel on the chocolate assembly line, but we didn’t have to gobble anything up, and we left nothing unpacked! Thanks to all who came to help out.
And on Sunday morning, through our Share the Plate program, First Parish raised nearly $200.00 to support Concord Prison Outreach in purchasing more supplies for additional gift bags. Thank you to all who donated.
For 50 years, Concord Prison Outreach’s Holiday Gift Bag Project has carried a simple but meaningful message to incarcerated people during the holiday season: you are not forgotten. This message is especially important during the holidays, which can be an incredibly difficult and isolating time for those separated from their families, friends, and communities.
The Holiday Gift Bag Project is one of many ways CPO works to restore dignity and build hope throughout the year. CPO believes that people can heal and grow, families can remain connected despite incarceration, and every person deserves opportunities to move forward with dignity, purpose, and hope. First Parish Sudbury is proud to be part of this legacy.
