WEBSITE IS THE
FIRSTTEENORTHFLORIDA.COM.
CHRISTMAS IS SUPPOSED TO BE
SUCH A JOYOUS TIME BUT FOR SOME
FAMILIES CAN BE A -- IT CAN BE A
VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
GETTING TOGETHER TO DONATE
FOOD AND GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
ELIZABETH SPOKE TO A FAMILY
WHO TOLD US HOW THE VOLUNTEERS
MADE EVERYTHING MAGICAL
WE'RE INVOLVED AND THEY GAVE
US A CHRISTMAS TREE.
REPORTER: SHAKIRA SAID HER
FAMILY CHRISTMAS WOULDN'T BE THE
SAME THIS YEAR IF IT WURPT FOR
VOLUNTEERS FROM THE CELEBRATE
CHURCH. THEY SHOWED UP WITH
FOOD AND PRESENTS AND MORE.
I WONDER
LIKE -- (INAUDIBLE).
REPORTER: NOT ONLY IS SHE
GRATEFUL BUT WITH SEVEN CHILDREN
HER MOM IS TOO.
TRYING TO SUPPORT SEVEN KIDS
IS HARD. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A
SUPPORT TEAM HIKE CELEBRATION
CHURCH TO HELP OUT, IT TAKES THE
BURDEN OFF THE PLATE A LITTLE
MORE FOR CHRISTMAS.
REPORTER: LISA JOHNSON SAYS
THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON THEY
ORGANIZED THE CHRISTMAS OUTREACH
AND THEY ARE LIVING IN POVERTY
IN THE CLEVELAND ARMS
NEIGHBORHOOD. MANY FAMILIES
DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
BECAUSE THEY LACK THE TIME TO
DECORATE. THESE VOLUNTEERS WERE
ABLE TO CHANGE THAT FOR MORE
THAN 60 FAMILIES THIS YEAR.
WE REALLY WANT TO JUST SHOW
PEOPLE LOVE. GIVE THEM HOPE
DURING A TIME WHEN THEY MAY NOT
KNOW WHERE THEIR CHRISTMAS IS
COMING FROM.
REPORTER: SHE SAYS CHURCH
MEMBERS ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS
IN A WEEKLY BASIS.
WE DO A KIDS CLUB. KIDS IN
THE COMMUNITY COME IN AND WE
GIVE THEM SANDWICHES, PLAY
GAMES, THEY COME TO THE PARK
EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT.
REPORTER: THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR, LISA AND OTHER STAFF
MEMBERS GATHER NAMES OF PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY WHO CAN USE
HELP AT CHRISTMAS TIME.
WE HAVE THIS BIG DAY WITH
THIS BIG BLOCK PARTY AND GO INTO
THE HOME AND WE JUST TAKE THE
LOVE OF JESUS AND TAKE CHRISTMAS
TO THESE FAMILIES AND CHRISTMAS
TREES AND FIVE TO SEVEN PEOPLE
THAT GO TO THESE HOMES AND TAKE
CHRISTMAS TOTHEM. TREES,
DECORATIONS, A FOOD BASKET THAT
THEY CAN USE TO PREPARE THEIR
CHRISTMAS MEAL. WE TAKE
PRESENTS. WE TRY TO STAY AWAY
FROM TOYS AND HAVE MORE FAMILY
GAMES AND COLORING BOOKS UNO
CARDS TO KEEP THE FAMILY ENGAGED
DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON AND
ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
REPORTER: SHE SAYS RAISING
SEVEN KIDS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY
BUT SHE IS ABLE TO STAY POSITIVE
THANKS TO FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND
CELEBRATION CHURCH.
AT TIMES THE, YOU KNOW,
KEEPING MY SPIRIT UP AND
(INAUDIBL
(INAUDIBLE).
REPORTER: AND SHE IS HOPING
HER KIDS WILL REMEMBER ONE THING
THIS CHRISTMAS.
THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS,
SOMETIMES WE THINK (INAUDIBLE)
AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND
THE PURPOSE OF THIS. YOU HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT ARE
NOT RECEIVING CHRISTMAS. SO
THEY NEED SUPPORT FROM US.
CELEBRATE CHURCH AND OTHER
SUPPORT SYSTEMS.
REPORTER: THEY WERE EACH A
PART OF THE TEAM THIS YEAR AND
SAY SEEING THE SMILES IS THE
BEST PART OF THEIR YEAR.
DECORATING THE TREE. ALL
THE KIDS AND SMILING AND HAPPY.
I WOULD SAY MY FAVORITE PART
WOULD JUST BEING OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY. AND IT'S SO EXCITING
TO SEE THEM THIS HOLIDAY.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
REPORTER: VOLUNTEERS WERE
NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO EVERY
FAMILY BECAUSE THE NEED IS JUST
THAT GREAT IN THE COMMUNITIES.
YOU CAN STILL DONATE. THEY'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
GREAT CHRISTMASES FOR FAMILIES.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING,
GO TO THE WEBSITE AND MAKE THE
CHRISTMAS OF A LOCAL FAMILY
GREAT.
MORE THAN 60 FAMILIES
BENEFITED.
IT'S SO HARD WITH THE
HOLIDAYS NOT HAVING, YOU KNOW,
WHAT YOU NEED FOR FOOD AND STUFF
LIKE THAT.
OH, YEAH. EVEN SOMETHING
PEOPLE MIGHT THINK IS SMALLER
LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. THAT
WILL MEAN SO MUCH TO SOME
FAMILIES.
AND STILL TAKING IN
DONATIONS.
THE WEBSITE IS
SERVE.CELEBRATION.ORG. THEY ARE
GOING TO BE HELPING FAMILIES UP