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Christmas in the Southland returns for 2nd year of gift giving
Families in the south suburbs are in for a special holiday as Christmas in the Wards gears up to give away TVs, bikes and much more. The charitable giveaway has been serving the wards of Chicago for almost three decades and recently expanded to include some suburbs.
MATTESON, Ill. - Chicago is working to spread the holiday spirit this weekend with Christmas in the Wards.
On Sunday morning, 700 south suburban kids got to experience some Christmas magic. Organizers say the families who attended left with much more than just fancy presents.
One by one, the stacks of toys, bikes, and electronics shrunk as kids hand-picked toys.
"I thought it was very big, and I thought I was going to get a lot of gifts, and I did," said one little girl.
"I was laid off in October, and my mom got an email about signing up, and she signed up. It’s wonderful," said one mom.
Many families say help from their community and charitable giving can mean the most during the holiday season.
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Hundreds of children to receive presents at Christmas in the Southland
The annual Christmas in the Wards event is coming to kids in the south suburbs. About 700 children will receive gifts from the event with the help of several community sponsors.
"Unfortunately, inflation has hampered many Southland families, and we want to ensure that every child can have the opportunity to have toys," said Christmas in Southland spokesperson and community activist Sean Howard.
"Not everyone has the funds or the ability to have a great Christmas," said Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin.
For the second consecutive year, the Village of Matteson has been selected as a breakout suburban location endorsed by Christmas in the Wards.
Mayor Chalmers-Currin says there is room for even more growth in the future.
"We want it to grow, it will probably outgrow this facility," said Chalmers-Currin.
"We have so many calls throughout the week saying, ‘I appreciate what you guys are doing," said Howard.
If your family wants to participate next year, organizers say registration typically starts in late October.