By Emily Maher, WLKY News
LOUISVILLE, KY—St. Vincent de Paul rolled out the red carpet Sunday to help needy families in our community. This year’s Santa shop delivered holiday cheer to a record number of children. Tables full of toys and outfits for kids of all ages.
The annual Saint Vincent de Paul’s Santa Shop gives parents the opportunity to pick out gifts for their kids. No price tags included.
“Just seeing the faces of people going through and getting what they’re getting. They might not have otherwise had a decent Christmas,” board chairman Jim Carrico said.
Kenneth Bearden is shopping for his three kids. “To see my kids smile on Christmas morning, that’s all I’ve ever wanted as a father,” Bearden said. They’re Christmas morning smiles Bearden has missed out on over the years. “I’m in recovery, and uh, I was homeless for three years. I was on drugs and alcohol very bad. I had actually lost custody of all my kids,” he said.
He finished the recovery program at St. Vincent de Paul, and this year Christmas is all about family. “It saved my life. It’s given me my life back. I now have custody of my son. I have my own house. We have a tree. We have a home to celebrate Christmas in this year. And it’s all because of this place. It really is,” Bearden said.
He continued, “To have all that and to give that to all them, it is just a huge blessing. It’s God. I see God, I feel God all over this. I really do.”
St. Vincent de Paul says 1,100 children received gifts, all which were donated to the Santa Shop.
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