Organization Steps In With Christmas Blessing For Family Who Lost Everything In House Fire

CHICAGO (CBS) -- This Christmas Eve, we witnessed the true spirit of Christmas.

Mentors, police, and volunteers teamed up to play Santa in Chicago. CBS 2's Marissa Parra tagged along on some heartwarming surprise visits.

They say many hands make light work. On this Christmas Eve, 40 volunteers led by the I Am A Gentleman foundation shared the load of giving out over 1,000 gifts.

They chose 10 families in Chicago who needed a little extra cheer – including one family that lost everything this year.

Just over a month ago, in the midst of a peaceful slumber, Elizabeth Nix and her family almost lost their lives in a raging fire.

"I got out of the hospital and got back," said Nix, of West Pullman. "Everything was lost. We lost everything."

And that is why a day like this Christmas Eve meant so much to Nix – to the point where it was overwhelming.

"We're creating magic, to really make sure our students understand what it means to give back and take responsibility," said Jermaine Lawrence Anderson of I Am A Gentleman, Inc.

Nix's table, empty just minutes before, was filled with wrapped clothes, toys, and meals for Christmas Day.

"It's just a blessing, because I didn't know what (my children) would have to open up. I didn't know what they would eat tomorrow," Nix said. "I was just stuck."

But for a family that was sleeping on the floor just on Monday, they will have brand new beds to wait for Santa upon too.

"This is more than a blessing. This is everything to me. This is everything to my kids because now you can see they're just smiling," Nix said.

The I Am A Gentleman foundation has a mission to "engage, enrich and empower young men for successful careers, healthy lifestyles, marketable skills and well-balanced relationships." The organization visited 10 different homes across the Chicago area this Christmas Eve.