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Dorri Partain and Julia Williams
Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief
On Saturday, Dec. 21, several Northeast events offered toys, candy and warm clothing for area youngsters to ensure a merry holiday season.
Calvary Temple Assembly of God
Inside Calvary Temple Assembly of God (5607 St. John Ave.) Santa arrived to offer toys and treats during its third annual Breakfast with Santa event.
Youth arrived at 9 a.m. and were served a hearty breakfast with scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole and biscuits with jelly or sausage gravy, with choice of juice. Accompanying parents were offered the same, with the option of coffee; Bowls of oranges were set at each table.
As families finished breakfast and kids began to get wiggly, they were instructed to listen to sounds of Santa on the roof? Just then, Santa burst into the room with a sack full of treats, making his way to each table as eager little hands took their share.
Starting with the infants, Santa posed with each child and handed each an age-appropriate gift.
The man in the red suit was portrayed by Doyle Kneedler.
Organizer and church member Beverly Jean Kneedler Martinez started the Breakfast with Santa event three years ago, expanding on the church’s involvement with the Toys for Tots program. For the past two years, Martinez said in an interview Saturday, the church raises the money for the food and toys on its own. She begins shopping for toys as early as July to take advantage of offseason deals.
Martinez, along with her husband Juan, contributes the food for the breakfast, while other church members donate funds for the toys or offer to set up and prepare the food. Approximately eight volunteers were on hand Saturday to help with the event.
While attendees were asked to RSVP in advance, so there would be enough food and appropriate gifts, no one was turned away. If there was a child not on Santa’s list, Martinez said she had extras available, just in case.
Unlike some events for younger children, Martinez includes teenagers as well, up to age 18 — and even made an exemption this year with one attendee who was 19.
Melissa, formerly a resident of the Indian Mound neighborhood, brought six children to Saturday’s event, from ages 3 to 17. While she now lives further south, she said she brings her children to this event every year and said it’s something they all look forward to.
As happy youngsters left with their new toys, Martinez tallied the number of children at 110, who visited Santa and enjoyed a hearty breakfast.
Healing House
Further up the street at 4505 St. John Ave., Santa was again on hand outside the parking lot for Healing House KC, where tables were filled with toys, mittens and hats for children to select from.
This is the second year Healing House has offered this event, which gives these recovery program graduates a chance to give back to the community. Each child could select one clothing item, a toy and a coloring book.
This neighborhood “give back” began at 10 a.m. and continued until 1 p.m., Saturday. Inside the Healing House KC’s administration building, another give back was in full swing, as program participants and graduates — in assembly line fashion — filled backpacks with essential items.
According to Joey Thomas, Healing House’s donations manager, 100 backpacks were stuffed with shampoo and toiletry items, a flashlight, assorted packaged snacks, two sandwiches and a dose of Narcan. Once filled, teams would go out to distribute these backpacks to unhoused individuals. Each backpack contained a handwritten letter — offering prayers and encouragement along with holiday wishes.
Joe Cedillo
Among these organizations who gave back to the community, included one Northeast resident spreading some holiday cheer of his own Saturday afternoon from his home at 518 Prospect Ave.
A line spanned several blocks along Prospect Avenue within the Pendleton Heights neighborhood, Saturday, Dec. 21 as children and their families eagerly awaited to meet Northeast’s Santa Claus and receive their Christmas gift.
Joe Cedillo — who spent the past six months purchasing gifts out of his own pocket, according to event volunteer, Jes — hosted his fourth annual Santa gift giving bash for Northeast and Kansas City youth ages 0 to 15 starting at 1 p.m., Saturday.
While he said this was his fourth year hosting at his house, this marked around his 10th year of giving back to community youth, which he did previously along Independence Avenue.
This year, Cedillo and his family expected over 1,000 attendees — spending over $7,000 on gifts over the past six months in anticipation for Saturday’s festivities, his niece Korina Cedillo said in an interview, Saturday.
“It’s all about helping the community,” he said, Saturday.
When asked how he decides what kinds of gifts to buy, he said he brings his grandchildren shopping with him — letting them pick out what they think others will enjoy.
With its high attendance rate, Cedillo operates this spectacle through a color-coordinated process as well as event and family volunteers, which help to ensure its success.
Each gift — which could include anything from toys, stuffed animals, games, trucks or Hallmark-related items, among others — receives a marked sticker, which is based on age and gender.
When a family has reached the front of the line to enter the gate, climb the stairs and greet Santa — Joe — parents share the age of their children and then receive a hand-wrapped gift from Cedillo and his family, which will match their child’s age group.
“Seeing the smile on the kid’s faces,” Cedillo said, is his favorite aspect of the event.
In addition to lending a helping hand for families over the Holiday season, every Friday Cedillo also offers assistance to unhoused individuals in and around the Northeast and Kansas City community — providing nourishment and cold weather necessities including hats, gloves and scarves, among other items.
Korina said she accompanies her uncle on those Fridays, providing support for those in need.
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