BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Leaders of the Olivencia organization are joining the WNY Holiday Partnerships to give away hundreds of gifts to families in need.
Parents like Jolie Crawford-Harris are trying to make ends meet for the holidays.
“It’s not easy when you are a parent you know? I see what my mom used to do. My mom had five kids so I see how she did it. Now I have one and it’s hard,” she says.
So she came to the Belle Center in Buffalo to pre-register her child and the Olivencia organization is going to make it happen.
It's part of their tradition of the “Three Kings” that’s celebrated in all of the Latino cultures. They've been helping parents like Jolie for over 50 years.
“The Three Wisemen went looking for baby Jesus to present on the gold and it's basically celebrating Christ's birthday,” Wilmer Olivencia, board president of the Agustin Olivencia Community Center. “It is popular in the island of Puerto Rico, Latin American countries and that's what we try to bring here to the City of Buffalo.”
Dinorah Santos is a community volunteer and works in the Buffalo Public Schools.
She tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person she sees the need for refugee families.
Recently, she overheard a family that came from Ecuador needing help.
“So the lady told me to talk to her and she knows about the Three Kings. She’s from Ecuador she knows what it is. She has five kids. She came here and filled out an application,” Santos says. “If you don't pick it up, let us know because the Pucho Olivencia always have help from the police department and they bring the toys to the house.”
But this tradition touches Santos in a special way because she too was in these parents' shoes years ago when she came from Puerto Rico.
“When I came to Buffalo I was going there to get toys for my kids when I came here I didn't have anything so that's why I just know how it is,” she says.
Others say in the past years the "Three Kings" event has always warmed their hearts.
“Feeling that you know when you walk away it's like wow you know you could tell that the family was really in need and you were able to help is the ultimate high for me,” says Olivencia.
Meantime, parents like Crawford-Harris are looking forward to the celebration and putting a smile on her son’s face.
"I'm glad that they’re here to help out and support and you know make sure that at least if they don't get something on Christmas they are getting something for some kind of holiday,” she says.
If interested in registering your child to receive a gift head to the Belle Center at 104 Maryland St, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.
Pre-registration lasts until December 21.
See details below:
