BRYAN, Texas — Every year, a Sunday school group at First Baptist Church in Bryan raises tens of thousands of dollars to provide supplies for children and families in need.
Lety Corpis and Chris Mauritzen are two of the 100 reasons that 62 kids will have gifts under the tree this Christmas.
“My heart was just so full to see how they pray, fellowship and share God's love with all these families and children,” Corpis said.
Chris Maritzen said, “We asked for each child to give us a wish list of Christmas presents they would like to have three different presents and we took those wish list and gave them to our class members. And we all went shopping for these children.”
Mauritzen leads a 100 person Sunday school class at First Baptist Church in Bryan, who raises money for kids in their Spanish speaking congregation all year round.
Last year, the group raised over $70,000. This year, they've raised about $55,000.
“The generosity of our class is tremendous for people who have given to this. So it's just something that you give them something, something to gift for, and they're willing to do. And we have some very generous members to do this,” Mauritzen said.
Their generosity extends beyond the holiday season.
Lety Corpis is part of an organization called Project Hope, which cares for students experiencing homelessness in Bryan ISD.
She said this church group is always supporting their needs.
“All year round they are just texting us asking us what we need at that time? And they show up with it,” Corpis said.
From school supply drives in the summer, to camp scholarships and donations throughout the year, and the Christmas gift-giving party, this group is always ready to serve.
“There's a mother single mother that is going through chemotherapy, as you know as we speak and she's unemployed. She has a seven year old little girl that they wouldn’t have been able to have Christmas if it wasn't because of this kind act,” Corpis said.