UPS makes sure people have a reason to smile on Christmas

On Wednesday, UPS delivered more than 300 presents to the Saint Matthew’s shelter in Naples. The gifts will be shared with children and adults living in their homeless shelters.

The holidays for families at St. Matthew’s house experiencing homelessness can be tough.

“We feel as though we’ve been blessed with great careers through UPS, and we wanted to find a way to give back to the community,” said Michelle Haugh Naples UPS business manager.

That’s why Santa and his UPS elves drove up in their “brown sleigh” and dropped off hundreds of gifts.

“In the facility, we kind of put together like a Christmas tree angel tree with the child’s name on the front of an ornament, and then on the back was their wish list, and then within an hour the tree was empty,” Haugh said.

They bring the Christmas cheer to the hearts of homeless families staying at shelters in Naples and Immokalee.

“And then we distribute to all of our recovery programs, as well as our transitional housing as well, and so that on Christmas day, every resident, which is somewhat like 400, people will be opening and receiving gifts, and hope and smiles and joy for Christmas,” said Brittany Curry from St. Matthew’s House.

UPS employees wearing their Santa hats unloaded all the gifts and put them under the tree.

“Sometimes, for our residents, it’s not such a happy time,” Curry said.

Curry said when a family shows up to one of their shelters, no matter what the case is, life isn’t really great, but that’s why she knows these gifts will make a difference this year.

“Ultimately behind me, we have 350 gifts, and 120 people that are going to have extra hope and extra smiles because of good people like ups.”

Santa and his elves delivered over 300 gifts, and now the folks at St. Matthew’s house are bringing them upstairs. Then on Christmas Day, 80 children and 40 adults experiencing homelessness at their two shelters in Naples and Immokalee will get to open them up.