Founded in 1995 as the American “arm” of HCPT-The Pilgrimage Trust (based in England), ASCPG is a non-profit organization that sponsors an annual Easter Week pilgrimage for young people with special physical and developmental needs. The week is jam-packed with social and spiritual activities for 5,000+ people from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, the West Indies, Croatia, Romania and the U.S. who are part of the HCPT pilgrimage. The 2,000 special needs pilgrims travel without their parents; instead, caring volunteers from all walks of life — doctors, nurses, priests, professionals, retirees, teachers, carpenters, students – travel with and care for them in a family-type atmosphere. These helpers pay their own way and work tirelessly to raise the funds for every special pilgrim to experience Lourdes free-of-charge.
ASCPG’s contingent (75-100 people) is actually divided into five smaller groups:
Group 601: children & helpers from North Jersey
Group 602: children & helpers from New York
Group 603: children & helpers from South Jersey/Philly
Group 604: Youth Group of high school teens
Group 605: children & helpers from the Morris County, NJ, area
We are also blessed to have NY Police Detective Steven McDonald traveling with us most years. He serves as ASCPG’s “good will ambassador” and truly inspires all who are in his presence.
Since the inception of ASCPG, over 150 young people with special needs have traveled to Lourdes from the tri-state area. ASCPG is 100% volunteer-driven; that is, no one is paid for their time and talent. It is funded solely on private and corporate donations, all of which are much appreciated and tax-deductible as the law allows. In addition to many generous donations from individuals, local businesses such as Tommy Fox’s (Bergenfield) and charitable organizations such as the Knights of Columbus 1345, the Bergenfield Elks and the American Legion, all of the groups host fundraisers to defray the cost of the trip.
