HAZLETON, Pa. -- Several hundred kids in one part of Luzerne County will be receiving toys on Christmas, thanks to the Diocese of Scranton.
"We're just trying to help out people and give them what they can't afford. We try to give them as much as we can," Stephanie Cuadros of the Catholic Social Services of Hazleton said.
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton held a holiday gift distribution in Hazleton for families in need in this part of Luzerne County
"There's a lot of need out there. There's a lot of families that are struggling, so we're just helping them out to give them a very Merry Christmas," Leeann Lywiski of the Catholic Social Services of Hazleton said.
With Christmas less than a week away, registered families were able to come into the Catholic Social Services Family Center and pick out gifts for their children.
In total, nearly 4,000 items of clothing and toys were donated by local churches, businesses, schools, and people to help bring joy to kids for the holidays.
"We have a lot of people that are very grateful for what we give them. We have people crying and just being very thankful," Cuadros said.
And because of all of this, around 70 children in the Greater Hazleton Area will receive presents for Christmas.
"They get to walk through, mom gets to walk through with a volunteer, and they go shopping. Each toy at each table has how many items they're allowed to take. So the volunteer knows exactly how much each family can have," Lywiski said.
In total, more than 300 families were helped out here Thursday in Hazleton.