SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Thanks to a local organization and hundreds of volunteers, 5000 kids in Lackawanna County will wake up on December 25th to find presents under their Christmas tree. When stepping inside the University of Scranton gym, you might think Santa’s workshop came right to Scranton. But to the volunteers, they say they’re just doing what needs to be done.

“As things get more expensive and things are harder for people, that income gap really widens,” said Meghan Loftus, the president and CEO of Friends for the Poor and Catherine McCauley Center. “And so there are less people who are able to support in terms of donations and more people who may need help at this point.”

Loftus has dedicated her life to helping others and the annual Gifts for Kids Holiday Gift program, a collaboration between Friends of the Poor and Catherine McCauley Center; A Partnership for the Common Good and Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, is the result of that goal.

And it seems like her dedication is contagious as over the next four days, hundreds will help sort, manage, and giveaway the stockpile of goods to thousands of families.

For many, it starts with a question.

“Did you have those toys when you grew up? Did you, were you lucky enough to have that kind of stuff? You know we’re doing this for people that, you know, don’t have that opportunity,” said volunteer Elijah Lyons.

And it’s not just the volunteers. Local companies donate tons to the mission, one such company is Walsh Electrical, whose owners donate over a hundred bikes and hundreds of coats every year for a simple reason.

Mike Walsh responding, “Just to make somebody’s Christmas a little brighter.”

And thousands of kid’s Christmases are brighter thanks to the generosity and support of the community. Loftus said that the community coming together to help always warms her heart and that sometimes all it takes to understand why they do what they do is a change of perspective.

“Coming here you realize that we’re kind of all the same at the end of the day and we’re all really, you know, one instance, maybe like one illness, one global pandemic away from being in that same position,” explained Loftus. “They don’t want to be in this line (for toys) if they don’t have to. And so that’s what we have to understand and approach everybody with humility and say, you know, they’re coming because it was really hard for them to admit they need help this year. It’s not a handout, it’s a hand up, and it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself, and I think that’s really what you see here at the end of the day and what I’d love for people to come and experience.”