South Side Church Provides Merry Christmas To Less Fortunate
(CBS) -- Christmas can be a sad time for people who are alone or have few resources.
But one South Side church opened its doors to the less fortunate from all over the city. And they were treated like family.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports.
To capture Christmas morning at the Apostolic Faith Church, look no further than Elijah Warren.
All of 10 years old, he handed out toiletries to people who live in shelters, instead playing with his new toys at home.
Elijah was one of the many joyous volunteers at the church at 38th and Indiana who offered the less fortunate an enthusiastic welcome, a warm meal and, for the children, Santa.
There was fun and companionship for a man like Larry Stinson.
"I'm pretty much by myself and I'm homeless, and I'm strung out on drugs, to tell you the God's honest truth," he says.
For Stinson and others the church even provided transportation.
"The community is our family, and that's why we're here," church member Veronica Smith said.
Church members told us they prepare for their Christmas brunch all year. This year, they gave away hundreds of winter coats and a thousand toys, all donated by the congregation.
They even provided free blood pressure and HIV screenings.
