Wrapping Party for the Needy Gets Presents Ready for Christmas

Volunteers came out for a few hours to wrap hundreds of gifts for those in need, just in time for their Christmas party tomorrow.

It all took place at the Organic Soup Kitchen in the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Santa Barbara.

Some parents including Barbara McWhirter said it was important to bring her children with her to wrap gifts and decorate the tree.

“It reminds me that giving is important, and I want to make sure my kids know about that too,” she said. “And this is the first time we have done it and my daughter heard about it from school so we decided to come with kids from her class, and help out.”

The children wrapped gifts and decorated a tree.

McWhirter said she thought about the person who was going to receive the gift as she wrapped it.

Charlie Rushton said everything he wrapped was a practical gift. “This is for a kid, a back pack, an essential for school. It’s not about the electronics or the high end things, it’s about the essentials.”

It was a point McWhirter also shared. “And I thing it is important for kids to know these are basic things people don’t have and to get a bunch of stuff we already have or don’t need is a luxury and it is important to have the basics.”

The Organic Soup Kitchen is set to have about 500 people come through the doors for a lasagna lunch with salad and dessert.

(video for this story will be added later)