December 6 & 7, 2025 • Ledwon Community Room
This past weekend, our parish community gathered for one of St. Joe’s most meaningful Advent traditions: the Alternative Christmas Marketplace. The Ledwon Community Room was filled with warmth, conversation, generosity, and the beautiful spirit of giving that defines this season.
Below are some highlights and photos capturing the joy of the weekend!
✨ A Marketplace Rooted in Mission
Rather than purchasing traditional gifts, parishioners were invited to make donations in honor of loved ones—gifts that provide food, shelter, education, dignity, and hope to people locally and across the globe.
Representatives from each organization spent the weekend sharing stories, answering questions, and witnessing to the incredible impact these ministries are making every day.
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🌍 Our Mission Partners
This year’s Marketplace featured a remarkable group of organizations—many founded or supported by members of our own parish family. Each one offers a powerful reminder of how compassion can transform lives.
Mulumba Global Charities, Inc.
Empowering African refugees through donated clothing, education access, and food support.
Mothers Clubs of Haiti
Providing women with low-interest microloans to help launch businesses, feed families, and strengthen communities.
Hekima Place
A loving home for vulnerable girls in Kenya, now expanded through the Hekima Hills Learning Center serving over 200 students.
Global African Village
Supporting rural Bagishu communities in Uganda with education, healthcare, infrastructure, and small-business development.
The Tool Library
A member-driven WNY nonprofit offering thousands of tools, free workshops, and community repair events—building sustainability one project at a time.
Bikes for Refugees Project (Wheels to Workers 716)
Repairing and distributing bikes to newly arrived immigrants and refugees—over 1,700 bikes to date—providing reliable transportation for school, work, and daily life.
Future in Our Hands, USA
Seventeen years supporting communities in Kenya and Zambia through women’s agricultural trading, gardens, and emergency relief.
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❤️ A Gift That Changes Lives
What made the weekend so special wasn’t just the creativity of the Marketplace, but the spirit of connection it fostered. Parishioners shared stories, learned about global challenges, and discovered new ways to live out the Gospel through concrete acts of love.
Every donation made in someone’s honor becomes a ripple—touching a family, lifting a community, and expanding the reach of hope.
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🙏 Thank You
A heartfelt thank-you to all vendors, volunteers, and parishioners who helped create this inspiring event. Your generosity reflects the true heart of Advent: preparing the way for Christ by offering love, dignity, and compassion to our neighbors, both near and far.
