足交视频

$125 might not go as far as it used to, but for 107 local teenagers and their families, the Salvation Army鈥檚 Teen Santa program helped keep Christmas a magical time.

Over $13,000 in gift cards were given to teenagers 13 and up at Walmart on Thursday night where they were allowed to buy whatever they wanted from video games to candy. What surprised Captain Kenny Jones with 足交视频鈥檚 chapter of the Salvation Army was how practical and how selfless some of the teenagers were.

鈥淭hey can get whatever they want, they can get their own gifts for Christmas. But they鈥檙e not buying things for themselves, they鈥檙e buying gifts for their parents and things for their children,鈥� Jones said.

足交视频鈥檚 Teen Santa program started two years ago when the Salvation Army saw a need that the Angel Tree program wasn鈥檛 meeting. The Angel Tree program helps children 12 and under experience joy on Christmas morning by giving gifts from the community to families in need. After the idea was proposed to meet the need of teenagers who were being forgotten by Santa programs, Jones said their organization was called to fill the need.

鈥淭he Holy Spirit guided me and was the inspiration for getting this program started. We鈥檙e not just giving gifts, we鈥檙e connecting with vulnerable, unprivileged kids who can go one way or another in life,鈥� Jones said.

In the first year, the Salvation Army shared the spirit of Christmas with 90 teens last year, 107 kids this year and is aiming to help 150 teenagers next year. After watching teenagers spend their gift cards selflessly on the needs of others, it cemented the importance of the program to Jones.

鈥淏uy into the wellness of others,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淩eal joy is unlike a sugar rush, real joy is long lasting and it鈥檚 not self serving.鈥�

On Thursday night, Sarah Cardenas, 17, embodied that spirit by purchasing gifts for her grandmother, 80 year-old Dorothy Riojas, and for the baby girl Cardenas will be having this Spring. On her shopping list were baby items, house essentials, bath towels and clothes for her grandmother. As she made her way down the baby aisle, Cardenas scanned the shelves, comparing diapers and trying to pick out the best brand of baby bottles.

For most of her life, Cardenas鈥� mom, Sylvia, was sick. From couch surfing at different friends鈥� homes to living in motels, Cardenas has been homeless.

鈥淣ever look at someone and judge their appearance. They could be going through a lot. Don鈥檛 assume just because their hair is done or they鈥檙e smiling that their life is good. I was put together, I was smiling but nobody knew how much I was struggling,鈥� Cardenas said.

Cardenas has been through a hard time from being homeless to losing her mom in April and to finding out she was pregnant in July. This Christmas as she prepares for her new bundle of joy, she鈥檚 looking forward to spending time with family and friends and sleeping at night in the comfort of a bed that鈥檚 all hers.

After her mom died, Cardenas moved in with her 19 year-old sister Margaret Riojas and her grandmother. Coming home and getting to sleep in her own bed has been a comfort Cardenas has enjoyed immensely.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 let downfalls get in your way,鈥� Cardenas said.

Cardenas embodies Jones鈥� message of buying into the wellness of others as she experiences true joy this Christmas with her grandmother and her sister, waiting to cradle her bundle of joy in April.