NEW HAVEN--After a Grinch almost stole Christmas, a community rallied together to make sure the kids would have a smile on their faces on December 25.
After the Dixwell Police Substation, with the backing of the Kingdom International Economic Development, in New Haven collected dozens of toys for underprivileged children, someone came in and stole them all, just days before Christmas.
Cindy Dillon, one of the original organizers, teamed up with the United Way stepped in to help replace the stolen goods, and in just 24 hours corporate donations had amounted to $4,000!
And then another surprise came about: Walmart had initially promised Dillon a $500 gift card, but she was devastated for a second when the store employee said he had to take it back. But it ended up being a Christmas miracle in disguise!
"Walmart gave us a gift certificate for $500, and he said, 'I have to that back, I have to take the card back...because they're changing the 500 to $5000," Dillon said excitedly.
The toys and coats were replaced, so there will once again be a merry Christmas for the kids of New Haven.