The main event is the shopping trip with the kids. At the beginning of December, elementary school children are taken on a Christmas shopping excursion that begins and ends at their school, while in-between being led through a McDonald's and Wal-Mart by someone who has been given the chance to experience a Christmas miracle firsthand.
It isn't about how much money we can raise or how much the kids can buy for their families at Wal-Mart. Our goal at the Rooftop Foundation is to bring the families of the children we help closer together for the holiday season and teach the true meaning of Christmas - it is better to give than to receive.
After the volunteers help the children wrap their gifts back at the school at the end of the trip, it's time to go home. They leave the school with a Rooftop Foundation t-shirt, the presents they bought and wrapped for their families, and a bag of goodies from Santa Claus himself.
The volunteers and the children interact the entire day, and it isn't just the kids that get to enjoy the shopping trip; sometimes the volunteers seem to like it more. They love spending time with the kids, seeing the small faces light up at the sight of Santa and his right-hand elf or hearing them brag about how much Mom is going to love that pair of earrings.
Whether you're a guide leading around two or three kids or a kid following around a guide, both seem to receive the message loud and clear that the season is about giving to others with all your heart - and your contribution is what brings this experience to life.
