Christmas Comes Early For Homeless At Miami Rescue Mission
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Christmas came early for more than 400 families in need in Miami-Dade and Broward.
On Friday the Miami Rescue Mission and Broward Outreach Centers served up Christmas meals complete with toys for the kids and Christmas trees.
Dozens of volunteers prepared and cooked while others packed bags with toys for the children who would go without otherwise.
At the Miami Rescue Mission, a Christmas luncheon was served on decorated tables in the street. Families then received a Christmas tree, family size Mission Hope bags with hygiene products and toys for their children.
"I could come out here and give my kids some Christmas gifts because I can not afford for them this Christmas and I just really appreciate it," said Sirporia Sims who received presents for her young siblings and her own two children.
"They need it. A lot of toys, people that don't have anything at all. And that's for me is a big thing. It's a blessing," said volunteer Laommi Matute.
The Miami Rescue Mission said toys will also be given to kids enrolled at CARE Elementary and in the Miami Rescue Mission Community Activity Center Afterschool Program along with more than 200 from Angel Children. Overall, they plan to give away more than 5,000 toys across their three campuses.
"We're trying to reach families with children in need in this Wynwood area and this area of Miami that's very much deprived of things we take for granted in our lives," said Antonio Villasuso with the mission.
At the Broward Outreach Centers in Hollywood and Pompano Beach, their residents along with select families were treated to a day of singing, games, raffles, toys for the kids and a delicious Christmas dinner.