ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
JUSTICE, PEACE, AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION (JPIC) ​

"...THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE…”
​Thank You for Supporting Our
​22ND ANNUAL JPIC
​ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR

On behalf of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministries, thank you for your loving support of our 22nd Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair (AAGF).
This year’s theme, inspired by John 17:21, reminds us of Jesus’ prayer: “That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” This call to unity invites us to embrace the Gospel principle of solidarity, removing barriers that divide us so we can embody God’s love revealed through Christ.

YOUR IMPACT

In the spirit of this theme, our parish raised over $17,500 in donations! These gifts were sent directly to local and global organizations committed to social justice and Catholic social teaching, supporting:
  • Care for creation
  • Human dignity (Restorative Justice, Violence Prevention, Mental Health)
  • Immigration assistance
  • Poverty relief (Homelessness & Food Insecurity)
You can view donation totals for each organization you helped to support below.​

We are deeply grateful to:

  • ​The organizations who participated
  • Our JPIC Advent Alternative Gift Fair Committee
  • All the adult and youth parishioners who generously shared their time and talents
Your efforts made this year’s fair a beautiful expression of faith and community.

May God bless you abundantly in the New Year!

22nd Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair Charitable Organizations
22ª Feria Anual de Regalos Alternativos de Adviento Organizaciones Benéficas

22nd Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair
​Donation Total: $17,521.00

1) El Futuro: $2,612.00  
  • Provides bilingual and culturally responsive mental health services - including therapy, psychiatry, substance use treatment, and case management - in a welcoming environment of healing and hope, so all Latino families can access appropriate mental health services and function at their most vibrant at home, work, and school, strengthening our entire community.
1) El Futuro
  • Brinda servicios de salud mental bilingües y culturalmente adaptados —incluyendo terapia, psiquiatría, tratamiento por uso de sustancias y gestión de casos— en un ambiente acogedor de sanación y esperanza, para que todas las familias latinas puedan acceder a servicios de salud mental adecuados y funcionar de manera óptima en el hogar, el trabajo y la escuela, fortaleciendo así a toda nuestra comunidad.
2) Eno River Association: $1,559.50
  • ​Conserves and protects the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Eno River Basin. Donations help conserve land, steward trails and preserves, and bring environmental education to every corner of our community so the Eno River Basin remains vibrant and resilient for generations. Through access, events, and education, we aim to nurture future conservationists who will continue to prioritize the conservation of open spaces for human recreation, water quality, wildlife, farms, and forests.
2) Asociación del Rio Eno
  • ​Conserva y protege los recursos naturales, históricos y culturales de la cuenca del río Eno. Las donaciones ayudan a conservar tierras, mantener senderos y reservas, y llevar la educación ambiental a cada rincón de nuestra comunidad para que la cuenca del río Eno siga siendo vibrante y resiliente por generaciones. A través del acceso, los eventos y la educación, buscamos formar futuros conservacionistas que continúen priorizando la conservación de espacios abiertos para la recreación humana, la calidad del agua, la vida silvestre, las granjas y los bosques.
3) Furniture Project of Durham: $2,897.00
  • Provides gently used, donated furniture and houseware to persons and families referred by social service agencies transitioning from homelessness to housing throughout Durham, free of charge. Those served have the means to sustain housing but lack the additional funds to purchase essential used furniture and housewares. Furniture Project is an Immaculate Conception JPIC ministry created and financially supported by our parishioners.
3) Proyecto de Muebles de Durham
  • Proporciona muebles y artículos para el hogar usados en buen estado, donados, a personas y familias referidas por agencias de servicios sociales que están en transición de la falta de vivienda a una vivienda en Durham, sin costo alguno. Las personas atendidas tienen los medios para mantener la vivienda, pero carecen de fondos adicionales para comprar muebles y artículos esenciales. El Proyecto de Muebles es un ministerio JPIC de la Inmaculada Concepción creado y financiado por nuestros feligreses.
4) Heifer International: $1,553.00
  • ​Helps impoverished families throughout the world feed themselves, earn income and care for their environment through gifts of farm animals.
4) Heifer Internacional
  • ​Ayuda a familias empobrecidas en todo el mundo a alimentarse, generar ingresos y cuidar su entorno mediante la donación de animales de granja.​
5) NC Justice Center: $3,008.50
  • Builds power for and with low-income people using litigation, policy advocacy, and organizing to address issues of immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, healthcare, and more. Increased immigration enforcement has created widespread fear among families. NCJC’s Power of Attorney clinics have assisted over 650 clients, including Immaculate Conception parishioners, to prepare documents they need to manage their finances or provide medical care for their children if they are detained. Partner organizations, volunteers, and donors help NCJC continue serving immigrant families.
5) Centro de Justicia de Carolina del Norte
  • Desarrolla poder para y con personas de bajos ingresos mediante litigios, defensa de políticas y organización para abordar temas relacionados con los derechos de los inmigrantes, derechos laborales, atención médica y más. El aumento de la aplicación de leyes migratorias ha generado un temor generalizado entre las familias. Las clínicas de Poder Notarial del NCJC han asistido a más de 650 clientes, incluidos feligreses de la Inmaculada Concepción, para preparar los documentos que necesitan para administrar sus finanzas o brindar atención médica a sus hijos en caso de ser detenidos. Las organizaciones asociadas, voluntarios y donantes ayudan al NCJC a continuar sirviendo a las familias inmigrantes.​
6) Peace and Hope International: Equipping Local Peacebuilders Across the Americas: $1,292.00
  • ​Strengthens local leaders throughout Latin America who work alongside marginalized communities—survivors of violence, indigenous populations, women, and families living in poverty. We equip these peacebuilders through financial support, training, advocacy, and volunteer exchanges so they can promote human rights, restore dignity, and cultivate lasting just peace in their communities. Your gift empowers local experts who know their communities best to create transformation that lasts!
6) Paz y Esperanza Internacional: Capacitando Creadores de Paz Locales en las Américas
  • Fortalece a líderes locales en toda América Latina que trabajan junto a comunidades marginadas —sobrevivientes de violencia, poblaciones indígenas, mujeres y familias que viven en pobreza—. Equipamos a estos creadores de paz mediante apoyo financiero, capacitación, defensa y programas de intercambio de voluntarios para que puedan promover los derechos humanos, restaurar la dignidad y cultivar una paz justa y duradera en sus comunidades. ¡Tu donación empodera a expertos locales, que mejor conocen sus comunidades, para crear una transformación duradera! 
7) Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham: $1,182.00
  • Empowers people into healing relationships with neighbors most impacted by community violence and the criminal legal system through care for survivors, welcome for the formerly incarcerated, and restorative justice among neighbors divided by harm.
7) Coalición Religiosa por un Durham No Violento
  • Empodera a las personas para establecer relaciones sanadoras con los vecinos más afectados por la violencia comunitaria y el sistema legal penal, mediante el cuidado de sobrevivientes, la acogida de personas anteriormente encarceladas y la justicia restaurativa entre vecinos divididos por el daño.​
​8) Urban Ministries of Durham: $3,417.00
  • ​​​​Provides emergency food, shelter, clothing, and supportive services to homeless and hungry people in need.
​8) Ministerios Urbanos de Durham
  • Proporciona alimentos, refugio, ropa y servicios de apoyo de emergencia a personas sin hogar y hambrientas que lo necesitan.​
If you have any questions, please contact:
​Ken Chiha, Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
​​Isabel Kovalik, Assistant to the Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)

PREVIOUS ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIRS

2024 21ST ANNUAL ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
"BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF HOPE!"
​​THANK YOU!

“The foreigner who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the immigrant as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” - Leviticus 19:34 
​On behalf of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministries, thank you for lovingly supporting our “21st Annual JPIC Advent Alternative Gift Fair.” In the spirit of this year’s theme, "Building Communities of Hope,” together we raised over $17,400!
In Leviticus, God commands us to treat foreigners as if they are natives, loving the immigrant as ourselves, as we too were strangers in the land of Egypt. Once again, this central theme emerges at the heart of advent! In the Gospel of Matthew, the Holy Family also experienced this same vulnerability as foreigners, immigrants, and strangers. Yet, Scripture continues to remind us that in our vulnerability we also discover the fullness of our humanity through mercy and love. We can stand in solidarity with one another, “building communities of hope!”
​In addition to your generous donations, we are especially grateful to this year’s organizations, our JPIC Advent Alternative Gift Fair Committee, and all the adult and youth parishioners who gave from their limited time to help make this Advent Alternative Gift Fair possible. May you continue to be blessed throughout the New Year!
Our AAGF fair-trade animal adoption raffle “mascots” helped our Laudato Si’, Franciscan parish community promote the important connections between fair trade practices and “Care for Creation.” 
The “World Wildlife Fund” supports “global conservation efforts, save endangered wildlife, protect fragile ecosystems, and build a future where people live in harmony with nature!" 
Father Hugh and the Berry family laugh together wondering how much adopting and feeding our hungry “Polar Bear” is going to add to their grocery bill!
Maya is “all smiles” with Father Manuel as she proudly adopts our “Artic Fox!” 

2023 20TH ANNUAL
​ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR THANKYOU!

On behalf of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministries, thank you for your support of our “20th Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair!”
This year's Advent Alternative Gift Fair theme called us to reflect on Jesus’s “new commandment, that you love (AGAPĒ) one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). God’s agapē love is the model for the many ways we give as a parish with an intentional, conscious purpose to help those in need through our JPIC ministries. Giving both locally and globally in our Advent Alternative Gift Fair allows us to embody God’s agapē love in our actions for our neighbor as a mark of true discipleship.

​2023 Advent Alternative Gift Fair Brochure
We are especially grateful to this year’s organizations, our Advent Alternative Gift Fair staff member and parishioner planning committee, and adult and youth parishioners who nominated organizations and volunteered to help us with this year’s fair. 

​DONATION TOTALS

Our 2023 20th Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair raised $13,605.50!!!

Local social justice organizations in Durham included Families Moving Forward, the Immaculate Conception's JPIC Furniture Project of Durham, Habitat for Humanity of Durham, the Immaculata School's Virgen de Guadalupe Scholarship Fund​, and LIFE Skills Foundation.
​
Global solidarity and justice organizations included Bull City Fair Trade (Durham), La 72 Migrant and Refugee Shelter (Franciscan-run migrant and refugee shelter in Mexico), and Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, and World Central Kitchen (with a specific focus on those suffering/displaced due to war throughout the Holy Land).​ ​
On behalf of our Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation ministries, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and all the local and global organizations you helped support through generous donations/agapē love, we thank you!

All donations were directly distributed to each organization.

2023 ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR​SLIDESHOW

2022 19TH ANNUAL
ADVENT ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR THANKYOU!

On behalf of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), the entire parish, and all our organizations, thank you for your support of Immaculate Conception’s “19th Annual Advent Alternative Gift Fair!”
This year’s theme, Prepare the Way of the Lord, reminded us of our Christian calling to align our lives and missions with the will of God and Christ’s teachings. By sharing your faith and commitment to the Gospel’s call to love and justice with a donation to these ministries for your family and friends you embodied the spirit of this season.

​Thanks to all our volunteers that made this event possible.

​2022 Advent Alternative Gift Fair Brochure

​DONATION TOTALS
​A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR!

Your purchases and donations set a JPIC Advent Alternative Gift Fair NEW RECORD, totaling $19,715.68!!!
Your acts of charity and justice helped us make God's love known to all those in need during this Christmas season.

​Local social justice organizations in Durham included El Futuro, Families Moving Forward, the Immaculate Conception's JPIC Furniture Project of Durham, and Urban Ministries of Durham.

Global solidarity and justice organizations Bull City Fair Trade (Durham), La 72 Migrant and Refugee Shelter (Franciscan-run migrant and refugee shelter in Mexico), and Serere Eco-Preserve (protecting biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest).
We are truly grateful! All donations were directly distributed to each organization.

WINNER OF NAMING THE JAGUAR CONTEST

As part of the Advent Alternative Gift Fair, a girl by the name of Allison Barbara has named the jaguar toy "Tigrecito." Those who are interested in learning more about supporting the Amazon Rainforest's conservation efforts of Rosa Maria Ruiz at Serere Nature Preserve, click here. 
© All rights reserved.
If you have questions regarding our various JPIC ministries, please contact:
Kennith M. Chiha, Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church - 901-A West Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 682-3449 Ext. 293 - [email protected]
​
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH   |  810 W CHAPEL HILL STREET, DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27701  |  919-682-3449


​Contact the Webmaster to report a problem.