The Sacramento Children’s Home is lighting up the holidays for hundreds of families in need.”I’m seeing something my son would really like; he’s really obsessed with cars,” Armani Latay Keegan said as she picked out gifts for her children. Keegan is a single mother of four young children, all under the age of six, including a one-month-old baby boy, Zion. Keegan knows the struggles of making Christmas magical when money is tight. “It was an unexpected blessing that I didn’t even felt as if I was deserving of or anticipated on,” she said, after filling the final spot, number 300, in the Adopt-a-Family program.”Right now, a lot of the families we serve are in greater need than they ever had been before, and we’ve been happy to help step in and support those families,” said Todd Koolakian, Director of Philanthropy.This year, the community’s generosity has been remarkable, Koolakian said, with more people stepping up to bring holiday joy to children. “All of us have seen some of the challenges out there, of just rising cost of living, just an affordability crisis in general. And I think the community senses that and wants to find a way to give back,” he said.Keegan is looking forward to a joyful Christmas morning with the generous gifts from the community.”It’s going to be a jolly morning. I can guarantee you that. I will definitely wake up to happy smiles,” she said.The surge in holiday giving reflects Sacramento’s spirit of neighbors helping neighbors. The Sacramento Children’s Home is also assisting another 2,500 families through its Wish Star program, where people can buy wishes for families, from gift cards to winter recreational activities.The agency is always taking donations.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The Sacramento Children’s Home is lighting up the holidays for hundreds of families in need.

“I’m seeing something my son would really like; he’s really obsessed with cars,” Armani Latay Keegan said as she picked out gifts for her children.

Keegan is a single mother of four young children, all under the age of six, including a one-month-old baby boy, Zion.

Keegan knows the struggles of making Christmas magical when money is tight.

“It was an unexpected blessing that I didn’t even felt as if I was deserving of or anticipated on,” she said, after filling the final spot, number 300, in the Adopt-a-Family program.

“Right now, a lot of the families we serve are in greater need than they ever had been before, and we’ve been happy to help step in and support those families,” said Todd Koolakian, Director of Philanthropy.

This year, the community’s generosity has been remarkable, Koolakian said, with more people stepping up to bring holiday joy to children.

“All of us have seen some of the challenges out there, of just rising cost of living, just an affordability crisis in general. And I think the community senses that and wants to find a way to give back,” he said.

Keegan is looking forward to a joyful Christmas morning with the generous gifts from the community.

“It’s going to be a jolly morning. I can guarantee you that. I will definitely wake up to happy smiles,” she said.

The surge in holiday giving reflects Sacramento’s spirit of neighbors helping neighbors. The Sacramento Children’s Home is also assisting another 2,500 families through its Wish Star program, where people can buy wishes for families, from gift cards to winter recreational activities.

The agency is always taking donations.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel