National City resident and single mom Marisol Rauda said it has been financially difficult this year to buy her three children the gifts they want for Christmas. So she and 50 other families and about 120 children sought assistance from the men and women in blue.
The National City Police Department on Tuesday morning — with the help of several sponsors — hosted their 14th annual Christmas Giveaway event at the police station.
The National School District selected needy students and their families to be recipients of a wrapped gift from Santa, a turkey and ham dinner and an unwrapped toy for them and their siblings from National City police officers.
“We want to make sure the children out there — the really needy children, the families that may not have something — get a helping hand to at least have a Christmas,” said police Sgt. Chris Sullivan, who helped cooridante the event. “With the meals, with the toys, with Santa Claus, just the ambiance that we’re trying to give to them to kind of give them a Christmas.”
Williamson Bennett, parent to 7-year-old Jessica, said he is thankful for an event like this because without it, Christmas at his house would definitely be in doubt.
“It feels wonderful [to be a part of the event],” he said. “We have a pretty limited budget so anything is a treat for Jessica right now, especially how hard it is going to be to get her something. This event definitely makes things a lot easier.”
Rauda’s son Joseph, 8, passed up on a bicycle and a board game and instead picked a brand new basketball to take home.
“I like basketball a lot,” he said as to why the basketball was his choice.
Parent Manny Romanillo also said Christmas would be another struggle were it not for the help of the National City police officers.
“We would have a Christmas but it wouldn’t be as fun as it is now,” he said.
Many of the toys from the event were donated by the Lowrider community of San Diego who partner with law enforcement agencies throughout the community to bridge the gap between local car clubs and the police.
Mayra Nunez, community liaison for Lowrider community of San Diego, said seeing how happy the children are when they receive a toy is the highlight of her holiday.
“When we see the kids’ faces and the families come in that’s really what makes my Christmas,” she said.
