On October 18, 2026, the First Parish Share the Plate is with Concord Prison Outreach. CPO has a strong legacy and partnership with faith communities dedicated to social action and justice and FPS has been a social action partner for many years.
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. With your help, this year we will assemble and distribute 2,300 gift bags. Each bag contains simple, useful items and a holiday card that reminds our incarcerated neighbors they 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. CPO delivers more than 60 programs across 9 prison and jail sites, reaching 1,000+ program participants with the support of more than 430 program-based volunteers and over 2,000 volunteer hours.
Come visit the CPO table at Coffee Hour to learn more from Liz Rust, President and Chair of the CPO Board of Directors. Help make an impact to healing this sometimes-invisible population.