Volunteers give the gift of food and warmth

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Christmas spirit is spreading throughout Western New York.

Holiday dinner was full of love and warmth at the Response to Love Center in Buffalo. The center's boiler broke back in November.  “We didn't have heat for three weeks” said Sister Mary Johnice of the Response to Love Center.

Thanks to generous Western New Yorkers, $80,000 was donated to the center. As a result they were able to buy and install a new boiler. They named it Emmanuel "God with us".

“It's just a celebration having a new boiler, a new spirit, a new breath of fresh air and warmth” said Sister Johnice.

With the heat cranked up, volunteers helped serve about 300 people in need a hot meal. “It helps out. It really does, for people that don't have it, like us” said Jason Ramirez of Buffalo.

“It warms my heart a lot just to give back to all these people” said Brian Corbett, a Response to Love Center volunteer.

Sister Johnice said in the 25 years the center has opened their doors for Christmas dinner this is the first time it filled up so quickly.

“It just seems today the dining room just filled up and I don't know if it's the sense of joy, expectation, the new boiler but also I think (its) the economic times” said Sister Johnice. “It’s tough times”.

When people left the center, they got a bag of goodies filled with paper towels, a scarf, hat, gloves and other essential items. Sister Johnice said she wanted to give the people something they needed versus a little trinket or a piece of candy.

The Christmas cheer was also spreading at the Buffalo City Mission.

“We're providing over 3000 meals to our Western New Yorkers who are in need and that combines both our elderly, shut-ins and all those that are homeless” said Aubrey Calhoun, the Director of Cornerstone at the Buffalo City Mission.

More than two hundred volunteers prepared, packaged and delivered the Christmas meals.

“Our goal is to make sure that nobody goes hungry on Christmas day” said Calhoun.