I talked to my kids one night about Angels on the Street over dinner. I told them what it was and how we played a part. We talked about how I was assigned to find a person or family in need to give it to. We talked about a few possibilities, and then my daughter mentioned a boy in her class coming to school with his mom’s coat.

She overheard the teacher asking him why he was wearing his mom’s coat and he replied that he had grown out of his winter clothes from last year but they couldn’t afford new clothes so his mom was letting him wear her jacket since she was home. I emailed the teacher and asked her about him, and she shared that he is one of six kids and both mom and dad had been working until she lost her job. The father now works two jobs and they are struggling.

My daughter wanted to give the money to him, so we wrote down who we were and why we’re giving them this gift in a card and we sent a new (used) jacket his size along with the money. I emailed the teacher, explaining to her what it was I was doing and why I was doing it. I asked if she could assist my daughter in handing Conner the bag and money, to which she agreed.  A few days later I received a note back from the mother who thanked me and told me that with that $100 she was able to get a small present to put under the tree for each kid, so they had something to open. My daughter told me that he came to school the day after we gave him the money and gave her a huge hug, wished her a Merry Christmas, and thanked her.