Florida church helps make Christmas wishes come true for foster children

Santa waves as he enters the event at the University City Church of Christ in Gainesville, Fla. (PHOTO BY BRAD MCCLENNY, GAINESVILLE SUN, VIA WWW.GAINESVILLE.COM)  The Gainesville Sun in Florida reports:

A flurry of children rushed to a wall lined with gifts Sunday afternoon at the 17th annual Christmas for the Community luncheon. They walked back to their tables with their outstretched arms weighed down by large stacks of festively wrapped presents.

More than 300 people attended the Christmas lunch, which was held at the University City Church of Christ at 4626 NW 8th Ave. UCCC collaborated with Partnership for Strong Families to provide gifts, an elaborate buffet-style lunch, autograph signings from University of Florida sports teams and a live appearance from Santa Claus.

“It is a blast. They have so much fun,” college intern at the church Kimberly Quinn said. “It’s really a day that we can bless the community and really provide a place of fellowship for them.”

PSF provided a list of about 250 local foster children to UCCC this year, as well as each child’s top three wishes. Donors from the church supplied two of the three wishes, and in some cases covered all three.

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