VICKSBURG, Mich. — While the holiday season is an exciting time, it can also be a financial burden.
With a tradition that started 20 years ago, Tobey Elementary in Vicksburg is providing some families relief this Christmas.
The "Offer A Helping Hand" holiday program makes it easier for families to put gifts under the tree.
The program started small, but, with help from donations and the community, the school will help 42 families this year.
"We try not to just involve the kids, but also involve the community. And you'll see that there's many volunteers that go into this part of our program and it helps a lot of families that are in need over the holidays," said Principal Mike Barwegen.
Along with toys and gifts, Barwegen said that families also receive personal care items.
At the beginning of the year, families are selected to participate in the program.
April Wilson, one of the lead organizers, said they do their best to cover the needs of everyone in the household.
"We asked for household wishes, we asked for the kid's wishes, we cover any child in the home that's 18 and under. So if they have other kids that necessarily aren't at Tobey right now but maybe they're in middle school or high school, we want to make their Christmas as well," she said.
Wilson has been volunteering with the program for six years and each year it gets better. She said her favorite part is knowing that a child is getting something they really want.
“I had one this year say to me, ‘I was so excited. Last year, I asked for this Polar Express train set for three years in a row. And I finally got it last year,’ and he still plays with it,” she said.
