South Florida community gets into holiday spirit by helping less fortunate

Donations made to Miami elementary school, burglarized veterans' center

The South Florida community was in the holiday spirit Friday, helping those who are less fortunate.

Santa Claus made a pre-Christmas appearance at Sunflowers Academy in Miami, and the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana helped make their Christmas a little merrier by handing out presents to the well-deserving kids.

"We've been doing this project for over 10 years at this particular school," Ross Jimenez, a former president of Kiwanis Little Havana, said. "We have a fundraiser every year where we raise the funds to do this project (and) where we give out over 6,000 toys to the underserved children of this community."

Meanwhile in Opa-locka, the Miami Heat organization helped out the Make a Wish Veterans facility that was robbed earlier this week.

"My heart dropped, I cried," veteran Walter Poole said. "For this to happen, like this with the donations with the truck behind me, I'm grateful."

The thieves took everything from electronics to food, which is given out to feed homeless veterans every Friday morning. Without the Heat and their "Home Strong" initiative, which donated about $20,000 worth of food Friday morning, it might not have been possible.

"I thank the Miami Heat for what they are doing for me," Melinda Buford, who runs the center, said. "I don't want to close the doors and I don't want to leave my veterans out in the cold."