A Christmas Filled With Joy
Christmas parties held on December 17th delighted the boys and girls at the Summit and St. John group homes, with Maintenance Manager Gerry Foisy again charming the teens in his role as Santa.
“I get a kick out of watching the boys open their presents and seeing how the girls suddenly get shy,” Gerry reminisces.
Adding to the festive spirit at the homes were donated Christmas trees that had been beautifully decorated by the boys and girls.
St. Nick’s first stop was Summit, where gifts—makeup, gift cards, clothing and shoes—were given to each teen.
The girls were delighted with their presents exclaiming:
“I’ve never gotten this many presents in my life.”
“This was one of the best Christmases of my life.”
“God bless your hearts.”
Santa’s next stop was the St. John home, where the guys were eagerly awaiting his arrival as they ate a home-cooked Christmas dinner. Remarks from the guys after opening their gifts reflect their astonishment:
“I’m just thankful that people cared enough to buy something for someone they don’t know.”
“My favorite part is the shoes because they are my favorite brand.”
“I want to thank your for taking time out of your day to buy the gifts you brought me for Christmas. If I could buy you a present, I would have done the same for you.”
The Step Up! outpatient programs in Morgan Hill and San Jose celebrated Christmas on December 19th with pizza and other goodies.
The kids had a great time designing gingerbread houses, and it got a little wild as candy canes were seen flying through the air. One of the gals was very artistic and helped make her team’s gingerbread house quite beautiful.
Then each teen opened his or her individual duffel bag stuffed with presents. Loving comments were overheard as the teens received clothing, gift cards, and various toiletries.
“How amazing, God bless you guys!”
“I never imagined how many good people with such big hearts would come my way.”
It was amazing to see how the love and generosity helped the season of giving “come alive” for our clients. Because of our treasured partners, 28 kids had presents to open this holiday and a total of $6,000 was raised to cover the cost!
Thank you to the following organizations:
• West Metro Kiwanis of San Jose
• Saratoga Presbyterian Church
• Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church
• Morgan Hill Giving Circle of Friends
• M.R. and Friends
• Gifts for Teens
• Saratoga Federated Church
