PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- A teenage girl, known for her years-long efforts to support underserved kids and adults throughout the city, found a safe way to bring holiday cheer to a few families who needed a boost.
Aniyah Ayres, 14, refused to let COVID-19 stop her annual holiday giveback program.
Ayres and her mother founded the nonprofit Aniyah's Mission in 2014, where the motto is "Kids can," as a way to honor the legacy of her late father.
For years, Ayres has organized Christmastime giveaways to benefit families nominated by loved ones.
"COVID tried to stop us, but we made sure that did not happen," Ayres said.
In partnership with a local church, she hand-delivered heaters, frozen turkeys and personalized gifts to three families on Christmas morning.
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"We (were) lucky to bless all these families and put a smile on their face," she said. "I'm pretty sure they was happy with their gifts."
Ayres says 2020 has been a long year, but the message she tries to communicate with her support is the importance of being kind to one another, no matter the circumstances.
