Ukrainian refugees, Chicago families join Mayor Lightfoot for holiday shopping
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Six families had a great time Christmas shopping on Saturday – with Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
It was part of the city's Christmas in the Wards tradition.
Mayor Lightfoot joined the families at the Walmart at 10900 S. Doty Ave. in Pullman.
Two of the families are from Ukraine and now live in Chicago. Four other families are from different parts of the city.
They are joining hundreds of families – all filling their stockings thanks to the program.
Two moms told us why this all means so much to them.
"When I arrived here, I had only one suitcase," said Ukrainian refugee Oksana Vasylenko. "All my life was in this only one suitcase. I don't have anything."
"It means so much to us – and it affects us in a great way, because we were kind of not financially stable this year – to get them all the stuff they wanted," said Chicago mom Cherie Stanfield, "and this really helps out with more stuff so they can be so happy when they wake up."
Christmas in the Wards has been making Christmas brighter for 26 years now. It began in 1996 as Christmas in Englewood, and broadened its scope with 2010.
Over the years, thousands of laptops, winter coats, bikes, and toys have been donated and distributed.