BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — We all look for the big guy in red to stop by on Christmas Eve to drop off presents for the kid.
But on Monday it was a few folks in blue helping to bring hundreds of Bellevue families some holiday cheer.
“We call it Holiday Heros because we combine Police and Fire tonight to go out and shop with the children,” said Roger Cox with the Bellevue Police Department.
It wouldn’t be Christmas without presents under the tree and that’s where Holiday Heroes comes in.
The program provides families in need with a $100 gift card, for every kid in their family, to make sure the kids have what they need to have a Merry Christmas.
“Very merry Christmas. It brings tears to my eyes. It’ll be the first one in about 5 years,” said Joan, a grandmother whose family participated in Holiday Heroes.
Joan, her son and three grandkids, Jadyn, Vincent, and Autumn, were among the 120 families helped out by this year’s Holiday Heroes.
Health problems have made 2022 a challenging year for Joan and Christmas shopping is an uphill battle.
“It feels great that people can help in the time of need. With the situation going on with me this is the first time these kids can experience it,” said Joan.
With the help of the Holiday Heroes Vincent lined up some new art supplies, Jadyn got some new toys and Autumn a new Care Bear.
But even more than the presents Joan says her kids got an important lesson in giving back.
“It's amazing and that’s why I want to teach them to give back to when they are older. Just keep giving, it's not always about get, get get. It's about giving too,” said Joan.
While the Bellevue PD and Fire Department were the face of the operation it was a community-wide effort to raise the funds for Holiday Heroes.
That community, Joan says, is what is helping keep the spirit of Christmas alive for her and her family this ear.
“Knowing that it's not just me struggling, that there are people out there who will help me help them give them the best. So they can grow up as young adults and keep pushing forward to make the world a better place,” said Joan.
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