Saint Francis House made the holiday a little brighter for families on the streets in Gainesville on Christmas Day. The shelter provided food, toys and a family atsmosphere for anyone in need of a meal with company. Volunteers prepared a traditional turkey dinner, restaurant style, and served the guests. Then children could head over to the toy room and pick three donated toys to fill their stocking.
"Not many people are fortunate every year to afford the things that parents can buy their children," says Tameeka Reeves, a mother attending the dinner, "so I am very, very fortunate to have Saint Francis here."
Shelter staff served about 300 from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm.