Mid-Missouri organizations assist families this Christmas

Many law enforcement agencies in Mid-Missouri came together to make children’s dreams come true this past Saturday.

Sarah Cobb who attended Operation T.O.Y.S. (Take Our Youth Shopping) in Jefferson City with her family said she is beyond grateful for all the officers who joined together and brought her and her family so much joy.

“It’s been really hard for us, we just got our new house and for this wonderful amazing child to be able to get this surprise, has been just amazing. She really deserves it and we really needed this. She really needed this. We’ve been through a lot this year and we’ve lost a lot. This is just a blessing,” Cobb said.

One in six people lives in poverty according to executive director Darin Preis with the Central Missouri Community Action. Preis said living in poverty makes holidays that much harder.

Preis said many fight tooth and nail just to get by, but when organizations come together, it makes all of the difference, just like this past weekend in Cole County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of the 76,000 people living in Cole County, nearly 12 percent of them are living in poverty. In Boone County, nearly one in five fall below the poverty line.

Central Missouri Community Action told ABC 17 News that poverty doesn’t only affect struggling families, it affects the whole community. You can find out more of what they do here.