Christmas Arrives Early for Brooklyn’s Homeless Children
Kids line-up to receive their gift bags from Santa Claus.
The Caribbean American Center of New York spread Holiday Cheer with gifts for over 100 New York’s needy children at its 11th annual Christmas Holiday Celebration on December 5 at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
“I grew up in poverty and I understand what it means when others make your holidays special,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who spoke at the event. “So it’s almost like it is me. I know the way they feel because I felt that way.”
The Christmas gift bags handed out to the kids at the party.
CACNY Board Members and volunteers prepared 150 of the 4,000 gift bags given at the event with new toys, clothes, books and other items. All the gifts will be distributed before Dec. 23 to disadvantaged children who live in more than 22 homeless shelters in Brooklyn, Queens and Harlem.
“It’s a lot, a lot of work to put this together,” said Jean P. Alexander, executive director of CACNY, “but it is so satisfying to see the kids.”
CACNY will host two more holiday parties to get Santa Claus to continue to help distribute some of the remaining gifts.
“I feel good because it is something minor, but to see the smile on their face is like wow,” said Tiffany Williams, 24, a volunteer from Bed-Stuyvesant.
Miss Brooklyn 2008 Cherelle Gaines, 22, and Miss Brooklyn's Outstanding Teen 2008 KeyAna Williams, 13.
Volunteer Sheila Singleton, whose organization Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. helped to prepare the gifts for the first time, said she was excited to have her Soros participate help children in need.
“We said we will all come down here to help, it is not a problem, you know, it is all Brooklyn,” Singleton said.
Borough President Marty Markowitz addresses the kids at the Caribbean American Center of New York holiday party.
Markowitz ended his remarks with some inspirational advice to the kids.
“In America, you can fly as high as Barack Obama,” Markowitz said, “or you can fly a little lower like Marty Markowitz, but your ability to fly depends upon you. Enjoy your Christmas and enjoy your presents.”