Christmas Giveaway at The Promise Center of Homewood sparks joy across the community

Imagine walking into a room filled to the brim with toys, clothing, electronics and stationery — all free. At The Promise Center of Homewood, for many families and kids, that was their reality on Saturday.

During the Christmas Giveaway, children left with bikes, clothing and Barbie dolls, and there were also many items for adults.

“There are a lot of kids, not just in the Homewood area, who are in need of toys,” said Nate Goodson, founder of The Promise Center in Homewood. “To see the smiles on the kids’ faces and the parents’ faces when they come through the doors is a lot of joy.”

It was a true party. Christmas songs were the soundtrack of the afternoon, like “Christmas in Hollis” by Run-D.M.C. and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, mixed with Soulja Boy’s “Crank That” for the perfect dance interlude.

In between picking out gifts, children were able to take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Lytia Brock, director of Community Engagement and Development at The Promise Center, played Mrs. Claus.

“Today was definitely uplifting in a time that seems so dark with so many uncertainties,” Brock said. “With so many people losing hope, this just helped spark joy in so many people’s lives.”

Goodson said they have a setup similar to a Sears. This is the fourth Christmas Giveaway at The Promise Center, and the whole city comes together to help Goodson.

With so many organizations like Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes, Starting Point Outreach and others donating or giving away items, there was a plethora and surplus at The Promise Center on Saturday.

Each person was allowed to pick out three gifts during a timed shop, and then the next group came in. The line stretched from the top of the second floor to the bottom of the first, moving up the stairs as children waited expectantly.

More than 1,000 people stopped in throughout the day. The giveaway began at 10 a.m. and continued until after 2 p.m..

“It felt great being here today,” said Darrell Carey, 14, of Homewood. “It felt like a celebration.”

“I hope children feel that they are loved,” Goodson said. “And it’s not only Mr. Nate who is doing it, but other people in the city who want to make sure that they have a nice Christmas.”

There was a pastor who ran the church before Goodson purchased it. Goodson had been doing landscaping at the church through his company, Nate’s Landscaping. One day, the pastor called him to offer to sell the church to him, with the caveat that Goodson would do something for the children and the community.

He kept that promise by opening an out-of-school program.

“I was big on putting a commercial kitchen in here so we could feed the kids healthy meals,” Goodson said.

Once he finished the renovations, the kids came without him having to do any advertising.

“This place is for the community and the kids,” he said.

Goodson, as an entrepreneur, also wanted to pass along knowledge about financial literacy and the power of a good work ethic. He considers himself “a giving back person,” adding, “I like to see everyone thriving.”

Goodson grew up in Penn Hills, but much of his family is from Homewood.

Next year, he looks forward to providing math and literacy tutoring for students. He also plans to bring in a mental health professional and to help parents with financial literacy.

“A lot of these kids have been through trauma, as we all have. But it’s just how you deal with it. We have some children who come in here and just start crying because a family member got killed on a certain day. There’s a lot of trauma that has not been dealt with,” Goodson said.

Temilla Demery, a Hazelwood resident, volunteered for the Christmas Giveaway and brought her granddaughter with her.

“I decided to give back because I like what is being done down here,” she said. “No kid is left behind, no matter their age. If they need anything, they can always come in and ask.”

Makell Harris, 9, from Homewood, attends Urban Pathways. She was at the Christmas Giveaway on Saturday with her cousin, Mareek Rivers, 8, who goes to Propel Braddock. They were excited about the toys.

“I’m just trying to see what’s available and excited to see what they have,” Rivers said.

“This means a lot, honestly,” said Jessica Antonovich, a Homewood resident. “I feel like it’s something greater than normal. At the end of the day, we’ve got a lot of kids, older, younger, and people that don’t really have much.

“Right now, I’m in a hardship,” she said. “I’m going through something, and having a newborn while still struggling to get everything together …This is the best thing. My son is 14, and I’m still getting him involved in everything.”

She is urging her kids to come and volunteer as well.

“It gives the kids a place to sit down and educate themselves if they want to achieve,” Antonovich said.

“Mr. Nate has a big impact on this community,” said Andrea Best-McLeary, a volunteer at the giveaway. “No matter where you’re from or what color you are, it doesn’t matter. He accepts every family and kid. He helps out in all different areas and is greatly appreciated by the families we serve.”

Best-McLeary, who attended Westinghouse, works with the Department of Human Services Office of Children, Youth, and Families, where she connected with Goodson.

“He has helped us out with some of our families, so he has made a big impact,” she said.

As the event was wrapping up, two grandmothers, Wilkinsburg residents Robin Williams and June Howard, waited patiently. They are familiar with The Promise Center and did the same thing last year for their “grandbabies.”

“This means hope,” Williams said. “ lot of people are in bad times; they can’t afford gifts. I think it’s a beautiful thing for the children.”

“Our grandchildren are kind of far away,” Howard said. “We can’t always pick them up. Their parents don’t have cars, and they work, so we try to do what we can for our grandchildren. It’s just hard out here.”

Beyond the gifts, Goodson hopes that the love is felt.

“These children are our future,” he said. “Everyone needs to learn how to get along and love one another to make this a better place. We need that.”