LEWISTON — The Lewiston/Auburn Alliance for Services to the Homeless and New Beginnings invite the L-A community to join the annual candlelight vigil to remember homeless people during the holiday season.

The vigil will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21, in downtown Lewiston.

For 10 years, LAASH and New Beginnings have held the vigil as part of a national movement of cities marking National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on or near the winter solstice, the first day of winter and the longest night of the year.

Participants are asked to meet at 4:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the Trinity Jubilee Center at Trinity Episcopal Church. The courtyard entrance is on Spruce Street near the corner with Bates Street. Vigil participants are invited to bring nonperishable and canned food which will be collected at Trinity.

After a few words and lighting of candles, vigil participants will walk several blocks down Bates Street to Main Street. The procession will turn right on Main Street and continue up Sabattus Street and stop in front of Calvary United Methodist Church in the triangle between Sabattus, College and Bartlett streets. Vigil participants are encouraged to bring signs to hold as the vigil remains in front of Calvary to raise awareness of homelessness to passersby during the evening commute.

Participants are invited to join the vigil at any point, and groups from businesses and service providers near the route are especially encouraged to join as the vigil passes. Refreshments donated by Hurricane’s and the Bread Shack will be available indoors at Calvary. Staff from New Beginnings will provide van service back to the Jubilee Center or the Park Street garage as needed.

* New Beginnings operates support services and housing for youth, including a drop-in center, 245 Lisbon, and 24-hour emergency shelter at 491 Main St., 795-4077.

* Trinity Jubilee Center, 247 Bates St., provides daily meals and food, a warming center, refugee assistance, and resources to those in need, 782-5700.

* The Nutrition Center, 208 Bates St., includes St. Mary’s food pantry, youth and gardening programs, and cooking and nutrition education programs, 513-3848.

* The Center for Wisdom’s Women, 97 Blake St., includes a women’s day drop-in center with activities, workshops, and support groups, 513-3922.

* The City Mission group at Calvary Church, 59 Sabattus St., serves a hot supper downstairs from 4:30 to 5:30 every Wednesday and breakfast Sundays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for the community, 782-3221.

For more information, please see www.newbeginmaine.org or contact LAASH Public Relations Committee member and New Beginnings Executive Director, Bob Rowe at 795-4077.