KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Twenty people are now holding in their hands the keys to a car, given to them thanks to a special program called "Cars for Christmas."
The families qualified for the cars because they have a special need, and Christmas is the right time to meet it.
Just last week, Cars for Christmas received 800 requests. Terry Franz, the official "Car Santa" organizes the charitable giveaway and reads all of the requests. He works with KC Elilite Napa Auto Care, which helps to get the cars ready, making any necessary repairs.
FOX 4's Kathy Quinn was a Harrah's Casino, where the car giveaway happened Friday morning.
Among the recipients was Amber Taylor, whose story FOX 4 told last week. She posted a picture of herself on facebook and it went viral. The picture was taken in the hospital and showed her beaten up. She accused her boyfriend of battering her.
In addition to the cars, gifts were presented to the families from other organizations. Whole Foods donated groceries, The Safety Council offered child safety seats, Farmland gave out Christmas hams, Tide supplied laundry products, and Hands to Hearts brought toys for the kids.
Anthony Black
I saw that they had a Christmas car giveaway, i was wondering how i could get a car. I have chronic disease called sickle cell aniemia ss. Cant stand long i cant sit long i need a way to get back and forth to the hospital if you guys can help me , I would be very gracious
April Holland
Hi i seen on tv u were giving cars out for Christmas and i was wondering how to receivE one. I am a single mom of three kids, yes i work. But i barely make it. I have to move hotel to hotel. I pray to god things are going to get better can u help me fox 4 news??? Please! !!
kimberly
I never saw a black family receive car . And my family has been in need of transportation
Hanna Bishop
Renee is a single mom of 3 kids. She has a very bad back and can’t work, even though she did it before her injury. She helps me and my son and I help her and her kids but her son’s having surgery and she needs a dependable vehicle. Please help we have no where else to turn!! Thank you fox 4 family for reading this and taking time to do so!
kI'm griffin
my daughter Tiffany has 3 kids and need to be able to get to work with a safety carcarshe’s a very good mother that needs to take care of for kids so please help her have a safe car to be able to go to workand be able to get her kids to daycares
Kathy arnold
I need to help my best friend … she left her abuser he tore up her car.. her and her two kids are homeless and she is struggling walking with 12 yrs old son and her almost 3 yrs old old daughter in the cold try to get to places… my name is Kathy Arnold / oak grove I’m on face book too….please contact me so I can get her help they are skipping Christmas this year because of their situation
Kimberly Jackson
I just moved back to Columbia and I am homeless as well, with to kids 13and 15 ..I loses my job do to a car wreck that totaled my car and left me without a job . So I am in need of a car as well.
rita may
How could my friend nancy bean apply for this prohram? She had her car destroyed by an arsonist in the northland
Heather BEACHAM
Hi my name is Heather Beacham, `I am a single mother of 4 kids. I have been through a lot this year. I have lost friends to murder, I have lost my career to cancer, i lost my house, my car and my kids live with their grandma and not with me. some how I keep my hope that God has a different plan for my life. I am leaving this message because I was hoping that your news crew could help me out. I know this really special woman her name is Kelly this lady has opened her home to me I was a complete stranger to her now she is like my best friend. I live in her garage, well kelly had her car stolen to. It is hard for me to walk because of having cancer in my feet but I get by there is no way i can afford to show her how greatful I am for all that she has done for me so I was truely hoping that maybe fox 4 news could help me out I KNOW YOU GUYS HELP WITH THE CARS FOR CHRISTMAS AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP KELLY OUT WITH A CAR FOR CHRISTMAS SHE DESERVES IT FOR ALL THAT SHE DOES FOR OTHERS. SHE HAS NO IDEA HOW GREATFUL I AM I WOULD BE WELL I DONT KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE IF SHE HADNT OPENED HER HOME TO ME AND WHEN HER CAR WAS STOLEN THEN I GOT ONE AND THEN MINE WAS STOLEN WELL ITS BEEN A STRUGGLE SO PLEASE IF YOU COULD HELP HER OUT I WOULD BE VERY GREATFUL YOU CAN REACH ME AT 8164692903 OR BY EMAIL THANK YOU SO MUCH.