Operation Merry Christmas returning to help the needy. Here’s how you can help

FALL RIVER – About a dozen Portuguese-American musicians and singers will be lending their time and talent to ‘Operation Merry Christmas’ to make the holidays a little brighter for local families in need.

Organized by Dartmouth residents Floriano Cabral and Ricardo Farias, the initiative seeks to raise funds to provide holiday food baskets for the needy and collect Christmas gifts for underprivileged children. The brainchild of Cabral, Operation Merry Christmas will culminate with a fundraising dinner/concert.

“The proceeds will be donated to Angels Anonymous, which helps countless families with food all year long,” said Cabral. “We will be collecting toys to donate for Toys for Tots through Cardi’s Furniture.”

This is the second year the duo is carrying out ‘Operation Merry Christmas.’

More: Operation Merry Christmas collects $7,250 for food and hundreds of toys for needy families

Last year, they collected about $7,500 and more than 300 toys. With the funds raised, they purchased blankets and food that were equally donated to St. Anne’s Parish Food Pantry and Angels Anonymous Food Pantry, both in Fall River.

“We are doing it because we see that lots of families are struggling to make ends meet,” Cabral said. “Last year, when we brought the food to Angels Anonymous, we saw hundreds of people in line trying to get food. My belief is that we should help those who need, and it’s a lot easier to give than to ask.”

By announcing it earlier this year, Cabral and Farias hope ‘Operation Merry Christmas’ will be even more successful this time around.

All the monies raised will be donated directly to the needy families, stressed Cabral.

“There is no middleman taking some of the profits. Everything raised is given away,” he said.

Cabral, who is the proprietor of Promedia Audio Visuals and has more than 30 years of experience in television and video production, said he envisioned an event where the community can come together to enjoy a nice meal and Christmas concert, while lending a helping hand to the less fortunate.

He ran the idea by Farias, a local Portuguese radio/TV personality and his partner in “De Cá P’ra Lá,” the first late-night talk show produced in the Portuguese diaspora for RTP Açores. Farias liked the concept and immediately jumped on board.

The Operation Merry Christmas dinner/concert will take place Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Our Lady of Light Banquet Hall, located at 664 Quarry Street, Fall River. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided by local singers Alison DaSilva, Jorge Ferreira, Michelle Romeiro Medeiros, Josh Pereira, Nélia Moreira, Tony Borges, Stephanie Rosa, José Augusto, Marc Dennis, Manel The Island Man and Casa do Galo.

All the sound equipment and labor needed for the show will be donated by GS Audio Productions of Cumberland, R.I.

Guests are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys, which will be donated to the Toys for Tots annual campaign.

Tickets for the dinner/concert are $60. They can be purchased at Portugalia Marketplace and Our Lady of Light Band Hall in Fall River or by calling Floriano Cabral at 774-526-0852 or Ricardo Farias at 774-991-1423.

Those who can’t attend the event can still donate, without having to purchase a ticket.

For more information, visit De Cá P’ra Lá’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/decaprala2024?mibextid=LQQJ4d

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Operation Merry Christmas returning. Here’s how you can help