[Editor’s Note: Luminary kits will be handed out at Karl Chevrolet from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13.]

With the holidays only a few months away, Family Centers is gearing up for its annual Hope Lights Lives luminary project.

As a grassroots-style fundraiser benefitting its Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids programs, Family Centers relies on the generosity of volunteers for the campaign each year. More than 600 volunteers from across Fairfield County sell luminary kits to their neighbors, friends and families. Dozens of others help assemble luminary kits and help distribute them.

Community sponsors also play a major role in Hope Lights Lives’ success. In addition to providing opportunities for local businesses to get involved, individuals can now also become a memorial sponsor in memory of a loved one who has passed. Sponsorship opportunities are available at www.familycenters.org.

The Hope Lights Lives campaign culminates with a county-wide lighting on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. On that day, residents of Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Rowayton, Southport, Stamford, Weston and Wilton residents will adorn their lawns with luminaries to honor loved ones who have died or are coping with a critical illness.

Each year, the Hope Lights Lives campaign sells more than 5,000 luminary kits across Fairfield County, and raises upwards of $100,000 for the Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids. Operated by Family Centers, both programs provide counseling and support to residents coping with a loss, critical illness or any life-altering circumstance.

To volunteer or become a sponsor of this year’s Hope Lights Lives campaign, contact Aleksa Lazarewicz at alazarewicz@familycenters.org or 203-869-4848. Individual luminary kits are also on sale now at www.familycenters.org.

The 2014 Hope Lights Lives campaign is sponsored by Ann Croll, Frank Fiore, Nancy Palmer, Keno Graphics, Siegel, Reilly & Conlon, Springdale Florist, Walter Stewart’s Market and two anonymous sponsors.

Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization offering education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. More than 3,000 professionals and trained volunteers work together to provide a wide range of responsive, innovative programs. A United Way, Community Fund of Darien and New Canaan Community Foundation partner agency, Family Centers is a member of the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies and the Alliance for Children and Families and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The agency is licensed by the State of Connecticut Departments of Public Health and Children and Families. Visit www.familycenters.org for additional information.