Detroit Goodfellows Begin Christmas For Kids Campaign - Selling Papers
DETROIT (WWJ) - Hundreds of Goodfellows and Detroit Police officers will be on street corners throughout the city Monday, selling special edition newspapers, hoping to raise $1.3 million.
The money goes to buy 35,000 Christmas packages for needy Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck and River Rouge children.
Detroit's Old Newsboys have been exchanging newspapers for donations for the last 97 years.
All money raised goes toward helping ensure that "no kiddie goes without a Christmas."
Christmas packages go to one out of every three children between the ages of 4 and 13 years. Detroit Goodfellow President Mike Coakley says they're putting together a total of 35,000 packages.
"Sweat pants, they'll have sweatshirts, underwear, socks, books, all kinds of things in there, and including 12,000 dolls that are packaged and dressed by all volunteers," Coakley told WWJ Newsradio 950. The dolls go to girls between 4 and 9 years of age.
In addition to the Christmas packages, The Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund of Detroit provides shoes for needy children, dental services for underprivileged youngsters and summer camperships for boys and girls who would otherwise spend their summer on the city streets.
