3,000 Women and 700 Families: ADFA’s Christmas Outreach in Full Swing

ADFA’s Christmas campaigns are now in full swing across Sweden. In a recent photo, Marie Arnfjell and Marlene Malmberg of Sisters International hold up gingerbread cookies donated through ADFA — a small yet telling illustration of how our grassroots network operates.

More than 3,000 women who are alone or single mothers will receive Christmas bags this year. The gingerbread cookies, produced by Annas Pepparkakor, Sweden’s historic and best-known gingerbread bakery, were donated via the Stockholm-based food wholesaler Trinh Cash AB. After the delivery, Helen Trinh contacted ADFA, and we then coordinated with Nordfrukt, a nearby distributor, for storage and logistics.

Additional support came from Sverost, which helped transport gingerbread cookies to locations south of Stockholm, including Södertälje. Churches both north and south of the capital have already received their allocations.

In Södertälje, the cookies become part of Julkassen (the Christmas Bag), an annual initiative run by the local Pentecostal Church Södertälje Pingstförsamling, in cooperation with the regional newspaper LT.se. This year, 700 families will receive Julkassar (Christmas Bags). To help fill the bags, we reached out to Weda Konditori, which will contribute 700 freshly baked “lusselängder,” a traditional Swedish saffron pastry.

The Läsfrämjarinstitutet (LFI) in Södertälje is also among the beneficiaries. They will distribute cookies during Ljusfesten (the Festival of Light), a public gathering held as a stand against violence. We have also distributed gingerbread cookies to Skärholmen IC, a sports club that supports children in financial difficulties.

As our Christmas efforts continue, we at ADFA are deeply grateful to all partners, volunteers and supporters who make this work possible — and to everyone who continues to believe in our mission.