Christmas in April PG - Media Information

By Arlette Philogene

What: RIVERDALE, Md.- University of Maryland student, faculty and staff volunteers will bring Christmas in April to an elderly resident of Riverdale later this month. The event is an annual home rebuilding project in collaboration with "Christmas in April PG" or "CinA*PG" for short.
When: The University of Maryland Christmas in April event is on Saturday April 16, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Where: 5626 67th Ave. Riverdale, Maryland
Directions to the CEP:  From Campus, take Route 1 South; turn left on Route 410 headed East, left onto 62nd Place. Go about 3 blocks to 6200 Sheridan where the CEP will be on your left.

Shuttles will start at 8 a.m. and run every 30 minutes until 4:30; last shuttles leaving the House will be at 5, 5:15, 5:30 and then on an as needed basis.

Background: University of Maryland volunteers work annually with Christmas in April PG to do repair and yard work at the home of a Prince George's county resident.
Volunteers will help with:

• Remodeling a kitchen
• Painting rooms
• Beautifying the entrance to the house and backyard 
• Trimming shrubs, cutting dead trees, planting flowers and
• Cleaning a small park located in the neighborhood (a block away from the house). 

Christmas in April is part of the university's 2011 Community Engagement Initiative. The 'adoption' of this home provides the university with a chance to bring its resources into the surrounding neighborhood while furthering communications between the university and community members. Students and faculty are in strong support of creating and maintaining long lasting relationships through this and many other projects throughout the year.

"My hope is that all the volunteers leave the home and the surrounding community in an extraordinary condition," said Barbara Rodriguez, service vice president of Alpha Phi Omega and sophomore accounting major. Both Alpha Phi Omega and the Student Government Association will provide student volunteers. 

Christmas in April - Prince George's County, which was started in 1989 and with the help of community members, has rebuilt or refurbished some 2000 homes. This year, their goal is to rebuild 84 homes, with the University of Maryland kicking off the effort.  Mary Kucharski, executive director of the Prince George's chapter, says she believes that this is the kind of relationship that will be "far reaching." 
Maryland's Christmas in April event is being held on April 16 because the Maryland Day Open House will be on the 30th - when most Christmas in April repair projects will take place.

About "Christmas in April":
Christmas in April was founded in 1988. As a non-profit program, it repairs the homes of senior citizens who are low-income and/or physically challenged so they may live in warmth, safety, and independence. The non-profit organization is volunteer-based, and after months of planning and preparation, Christmas in April culminates in a one-day repair effort on the last Saturday in April To learn more about the program, visit
http://www.christmasinaprilpg.org/FactSht.pdf
http://www.christmasinaprilpg.org/
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/

For more information about the university's involvement please contact:

Gloria Aparicio Blackwell
gaparici@umd.edu
(301) 405-1105

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