745 Children Visited During Holidays

We had a very hectic couple of weeks prior to Christmas - starting with all the toy deliveries by different individuals and organizations over several days, and three nights in a row of gift wrapping with the help of 89 volunteers from a number of organizations throughout Brooklyn, as well as out of state. There were 44 volunteers from Ohio and Virginia who helped our staff visit all the families on our roster, which included about 745 children visited.

Hundreds of children and families came through the Children of the City doors to pick up gifts and groceries. The charity's executive director, Joyce Mattera said she is really pleased with the outcome and the great connections that were made through the Christmas project.

Children of the City serves the children and families of Southwest Brooklyn, and has for more than twtwenty years. Families have overcome welfare and poverty, substance abuse and lifestyles of violence and gang activity. And they are now pouring back into the community and volunteering their time into this organization.

In fact Joyce Mattera, the executive director of Children of the City was interviewed by Sandra Bookman from channel 7 Eye witness 5:00 news. Here's the link.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/media?id=5845687