INDIANAPOLIS — Many Indianapolis families can’t afford to buy everyday essentials, let alone Christmas gifts this year. It’s why an organization on the city’s east side is helping make the holidays a little more special for hundreds of Hoosiers.
“Every kid wants to see gifts under the tree. Christmas is not only about gifts but it is something that kids look forward to,” said Narieliss Andino.
Andino and her family now depend solely on her husband’s income as she works to start her businesses.
Thanks to the holiday assistance from Westminster Neighborhood Services, she will be able to give her kids a lot more this Christmas.
“Having prices going up and having four kids, my baby is just now eight months, things are kinda harder,” Andino told WRTV. “It’s really helpful, just an additional support for our family.”
The organization has provided holiday Christmas baskets to the Near East Side for decades.
On Saturday, families in need picked out Christmas gifts for their kids.
They also got necessities like underwear, hats, and gloves, along with two week’s worth of food.
“The holiday seasons are more expensive for everyone and the price of everything is going up so we’re seeing more and more people have needs,” the organization’s executive director Chrissy Petersen told WRTV. “In a community where people struggle this is a way to really give them that hope.”
For many like Andino, this was her first time coming, but for Dorothy Towne, this is a service she’s counted on for years.
“It makes a big difference when you know you ain’t got much income coming in, even on food stamps it helps out. It helps out a lot,” Towne said.
Westminster Neighborhood Services said they’ve seen a 30% increase in families needing their help this year.
This holiday season they served 350 adults and more than 800 kids for Christmas.
It was made possible thanks to community donors and a sponsorship from CareSource.
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