Volunteers Across the United States Help Turn Simple Paper Bags into an Exciting Easter Surprise

NEW YORK, March 4, 2008—More than 26,000 inner-city kids will receive an unexpected surprise later this month, when thousands of volunteers nationwide help turn empty paper bags into gift-filled "Easter Bags."
 
MARCH 15-22: Urban ministry Here's Life Inner City is working with inner-city churches and local volunteers to help pack and deliver more than 26,000 Easter Bags-each lovingly filled with treats like candy, toys and crayons. For the first time, the Easter Bags will also include the Urban Book of Hope, which is a culturally appropriate, full-color story created especially for children of the inner city.

"The book is filled with examples of God's love for us and we're so excited to be able to include it in the Easter Bags," said Ted Gandy, national director of Here's Life Inner City. "We began giving out Easter Bags in 1990 and after all these years, they continue to be one of our most effective ways to connect with children in great need."

The Easter Bags will be delivered to inner-city kids in 14 cities, including Atlanta; Bakersfield, Calif.; Little Rock, Ark.; Denver; Detroit; Jacksonville, Fla.; Los Angeles; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Minneapolis; New York; Orlando, Fla. and Seattle.

To sponsor an Easter Bag, call (212) 494-0321 or visit www.HLIC.org.

Since 1983, Here's Life Inner City and more than a thousand partner churches and organizations have been responding to the growing epidemic of poverty and despair in the inner city. The wide-ranging efforts have provided the poor with food and other basic necessities, life skills, career development and youth development programs.

Here's Life Inner City, the urban ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, International, is dedicated to equipping churches to provide help and hope to the poverty-stricken in their communities. To partner with Here's Life Inner City with efforts to provide Easter Bags to inner-city kids, visit www.HLIC.org.

MEDIA NOTE: For city-specific Easter Bag distribution details, contact Todd Shearer or Karen Dye at (770) 813-0000. 

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