Detroit Goodfellows handing out 26,000 holiday gift boxes to families in need
(CBS DETROIT) — The Detroit Goodfellows has been synonymous with spreading Christmas joy for more than a century.
In keeping with the nonprofit's mission, "No Kiddie Without a Christmas," the Detroit Goodfellows, alongside Detroit city leaders, are handing out more than 26,000 gift boxes to families in need.
"This is very important to me, having been a recipient as a kid of a Goodfellows box, and those kids who are less fortunate than others deserve a very merry Christmas as well, so it is perfect for us to be here," said Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington.
As thousands of gift boxes slid down an assembly line Monday, they were handed to thousands of families in need this holiday season. The holiday gift boxes contain clothing, books, candy and toys for under-resourced children ages 4 to 13 in various cities, including Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods, Ecorse, Redford and River Rouge.
Detroit Goodfellows estimates that two out of every three Detroit public schoolchildren receive a gift box.
"It's amazing," said Detroit Goodfellows executive director, Jordan Mulka. "The families love it. The kids love it. People that are grown come up to me and say, 'I got a Goodfellows box when I was a kid.'"
It's about gratitude and lending a helping hand — something Detroit city leaders are happy to do.
"It doesn't get better than this," said interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison. "I know Detroit police officers who reflect back to when they were children, and they were recipients, and now they get a chance to give back."
