Church leaders hand out Operation Noel jackets in Horizon City

Jackets and shoes are filling up a Horizon City community and it’s all because of the generous donations from Operation Noel.

This year, ABC-7’s Operation Noel telethon raised more than $170,000. On Sunday, ABC-7 got a firsthand look on how that money directly impacts children in Las Colonias, a community in Horizon City.

“A lot of struggling in this community, a lot,” Eunice Elias sees firsthand what families who attend Alfarero Divino go through.

“There’s sometimes no meals and they’re big families, most of them three to five to six kids,” Elias said.

That’s why, she says, something simple like a jacket can make a difference. This is the church’s fourth year handing out coats and shoes to residents in the area.

“They grow so fast and jackets are expensive,” Cecilia Garcia said.

Garcia has three kids and is a stay at home mom. Her husband works two jobs. Many parents like her, lined up with their kids to try on the new gear.

Church leaders say it warms their hearts to know children will have an important necessity this winter.

The church will continue handing out jackets all week long to families in need. Operation Noel is still taking donations. Donate here:http://bit.ly/18a8B4X