Giving Tuesday: 12-Year-Old Chelsea Phaire Helps Prepare Dozens Of Gifts For Homeless Children
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Three charities came together on Giving Tuesday to assemble kits filled with essentials to give to families in need.
As CBS2's Christina Fan reports, 50 holiday care packages filled with toys, backpacks and books will fill the stockings of homeless children across New York City this holiday season.
The mastermind behind this selfless operation? Chelsea Phaire, 12, who created Chelsea's Charity.
"It makes me feel amazing that we are helping so many people," she said.
Theee nonprofits worked together to make this donation possible on Giving Tuesday.
Chelsea's Charity provided art supplies. She says they have the power to heal.
"Art is important to me because when my grandfather passed away, I was very upset. But my grandmother told me to draw him a picture and I put it in his pocket at his funeral at and it made me feel a lot better, because I felt that every morning when he would wake up and think of my family," Chelsea said.
Rob Scheer provided the comfort cases in each kit. He knows the dignity essential items provide to homeless youth after growing up in the foster care system.
"We just want them to know that as their community we love them, we care for them, and we want to try to give them something special," he said.
Each kit this year will also contain a present for mothers. The designer, Aimee Kestenberg, says she wanted to make sure struggling parents also feel seen.
"We are generally always thinking about our kids and our families. Nobody thinks about us. We hardly think of ourselves. So I'm really really excited we are going to be able to gift these amazing mothers," Kestenberg said.
Volunteers with Hearts of Gold will ultimately distribute the packages to local shelters.
If you want to help but don't have the financial means, charities say you can always gift the most precious thing of all - your time.