GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- With only 10 days left until Christmas, a group dedicated to giving gifts to children in need is hard at work to deliver some North Pole magic.
Since 1908, Santa Claus Girls of Kent County has been providing Christmas gifts to local children under the age of 12 whose families don't have the means to put presents under the tree.
“It’s huge. I mean every year it’s huge," says Diane Brown, the president of Santa Claus Girls.
Celebrating its 110th year of giving, volunteers gathered at Knoll Inc early Saturday morning to organize and deliver the gifts.
“With the drivers, the baggers and the wrappers, clubs that have come in and people that have volunteered to wrap just blow me away," Brown says. "We have so many wonderful people that really care.”
This year, the group is reaching 13,000 children, according to Brown, which is 800 more kids than they served last Christmas.
Each child receives a toy, book, candy and piece of warm clothing.
“There’s hundreds of packages," Brown says. "Comstock Park alone is 144 this year.”
To benefit from the program next year, parents must apply on the Santa Claus Girls website. The deadline for 2018 closed on Wednesday.
The program also works closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to identify families in need.
