I am a 49yr old father who is unemployed, receiving public assistance and going to school in the Bronx, NY. I barely make ends meet and I am very proud of my son who is doing great in school. Putting my pride in my pocket, I am asking anyone who can, to help me give a great kid (my handsome son Brandon) a Christmas gift. I am very embarrassed in having to ask, but I don't know who else to ask. If there are any Santa's out there who can help me, I would very much appreciate it. My name is Leonardo Vega and my son Brandon is 11 years old. My email is >Removed< and I will give you my phone number is you email me so we can talk. Thank you world, Love saves the Day!

We do not "help" here except to give you ideas of where to look.

Salvation Army, Good Will, the local Lions Club, local Veterans groups. Check with your local religious group.

Check with social services as to things available.

But "things" come and "things" go, time and doing things with your son will mean more than any thing.

I have 4 boys in their 30's, they seldom remember any gift or toy but they do remember things we did together.

Thanks Fr_Chuck

Check with your village/township/county human services offices too. Many will offer toys and gifts and even food baskets for low-income families.

And Fr_Chuck is very correct. My sons are 36 and 40. Both have forgotten what toys Santa or I gave them, but fondly remember baking cookies, decorating the house and a tree with decorations we made with paper and glue and paint, singing holiday songs and telling/reading holidays stories (library is good for source material), walking through the malls to look at the decorations, and helping those less fortunate than us in various ways.

There are many organizations and businesses that gear a good part of their helping others, to the Christmas season.

A local mall here, has a 'Giving Tree', where you make a donation and that donation is matched up with what a particular child/family needs. There are also many local churches that accept families who contact them, to be added to a list for a Christmas Basket- usually complete Christmas dinners with all the trimmings. Any organization that I've ever known or been involved with, is prepared on their own, or prepared to refer, any enquiry about help needed at Christmas. Kind, generous, informative, organized people.

You only need make a few enquiries.

Check with your son's school as well. They often will participate in programs that can help you out. We are asked every year if there are children in our classrooms that may benefit from such programs.

Certainly, at his age, a few gifts will mean a great deal, but as was said, the memories later will come from the time you spend doing things together. Focus on making those memories as well.

Check with your local food bank about Christmas Hampers avalible. You can check with the locak food banks and Churches about family sponderships. I really hope you can get somehelp over the Christmas season. Please keep us posted!