'Christmas Miracle Project' Helping The Homeless On Holiday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A New Jersey mother's Christmas Eve tradition is really getting to the heart of this holiday season and getting homeless people some basic essentials.
Every Christmas, Leah Fairchild's Jeep is filled just like Santa's sleigh.
"I just feel like it can make the world better," said Fairchild. "There are so many negative stories, so much bad energy and if you can counteract with the good stuff, then we will be OK."
The single mother of three started the "Christmas Miracle Project" in 2014, right after she separated from her ex-husband and had to temporarily forfeit her children.
She used $150 dollars from tip money to buy 12 homeless people bags of essential items.
"I went to Penn Station, Christmas Eve morning and I was done in seconds," she said.
She then made a promise to do more every year, continuing this year by raising $3,000 and rallying 20 volunteers together to fill 350 bags of toiletries and food.
She then organized them into different teams to distribute the items in shelters and streets across New Jersey.
"There are so many people in need in this country," said volunteer Mindy Parisi.
"Things like this can really, make a difference in their life," added volunteer Mark Meaney.
It's done that already for Shawn White.
"It gives me the inside to go hard and give back to some of the things they have given to me," he said.
"Just that little compassion can save one's life and one may never know," said Glenda Banks, Hudson Country Integrated Services.
