A local sheriff’s department and a church teamed up to get local children in the Christmas spirit last weekend.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office partnered with The Potter’s House of Fort Worth and DFW Toys for Tots to hold the 6th annual Sheriff’s Christmas for Kids on Saturday. Hundreds of children attended this year’s event.
Originally named “Christmas for the Children of the Incarcerated,” the event was attended by 650 children who have a parent imprisoned in the Tarrant County jail system.
“We want to take care of them and make sure that they have a Christmas, and also see law enforcement hand out, not like maybe last time when they saw us when mom or dad went to jail,” Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said, according to Fox 4 News.
A total of 105 volunteers and 17 vendors showed up to make this event possible, handing out over 3,000 toys and positively impacting 350 local families, according to The Potter’s House. Families were also treated to a Christmas movie, a visit with Santa, and face painting for children before being able to choose from an abundance of donated toys.
“We have families who have cried because they received bicycles or skateboards and all kinds of things they thought they would never have,” said Patrick Winfield, Campus Pastor with The Potter’s House Fort Worth, per Fox.
Kimberly Bryant, a mother in attendance at the event, told Fox that this was her second time attending the annual event and that 11 of her children had received gifts.
“Their dad is incarcerated. But this helps out a lot, especially for me, being a single mom. I wasn’t going to be able to get my kids anything. So this helps out a lot,” said Bryant, per Fox.
