TULSA, Okla. — One nonprofit is bringing Christmas to families whose lives have been affected by flooding.
For Sandra Bearden, Monday brought some joy after a tough 2019. Bearden used to live in west Tulsa, but was forced to move after her home was flooded this spring.
“In the basement area is where we were pretty much staying and it took on about, I don’t know how much water, it was a good amount," Bearden said. "And so from there, we had to move.”
Bearden and her son lived in a hotel from May until September. Monday, she picked up Christmas gifts for her son from the nonprofit, 21st Century Santa and the Long Term Recovery Committee for Tulsa County.
“We lost everything," Bearden said. "So we’re having to recuperate, you know what I mean. We finally got a house and we had nothing to fill it with. So it’s going to make a very big difference.”
21st Century Santa is helping out families in neighborhoods that were affected by the flooding. The community came together to buy presents which they are now handing out just in time for Christmas. They say it’s all about giving back to the kids.
“They’re the ones that suffer the most in disasters," said John Bloomberg, executive director of 21st Century Santa. "And we don’t want them to suffer at Christmas time. They need to have as much of a normal Christmas as we can give them.”
Bearden said they’re still getting their lives back together following the flooding. But, thanks to the Bloomberg's, they’ll have a happy Christmas.
“He’s really anticipating a good Christmas," Bearden said. "Anything that will help make it fulfill that excitement of his is going to be worth the while definitely. It will mean the world to him.”
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