Holiday donations up, even in down economy

BOCA RATON, Fla. - It was a busy day in Boca Raton Thursday afternoon, as hundreds of holiday gift baskets lined the lobby of MDVIP, a national network of physicians.  

"We have almost doubled our number.  Last year we had 92, this year we have 165 gift baskets amongst others...we have checks to donate," said Kelsey Millar, a MDVIP representative.

For Boca Helping Hands, these donations couldn't have come at a better time.  

"All across the board, in all of our programs, the need hasn't just risen, it's risen astronomically.  It's literally tripled," said James Gavrilos, the Executive Director of Boca Helping Hands.

Together with other donations, over 750 families will have a Thanksgiving meal.  "You have to realize a lot of the families that are getting these baskets, a year ago, would have been considered middle class.  In their worst nightmare, they could not envision themselves having to go to a soup kitchen, in order to get Thanksgiving dinner for their family," said Gavrilos.

One by one, baskets filled with holiday fixings made their way out of the lobby, into the back of a truck.  "In addition to passing out the baskets which we're doing this year...for the first time ever, Boca Helping Hands will be open Thanksgiving Day.  We're going to be serving families," said Gavrilos.

The baskets will be distributed on Monday to those families that signed up in advance.  A welcome gift in a season where so many, have so little to be thankful for.   

"We are so incredibly blessed, and we're just happy that we can give back to someone and give a smile on Thanksgiving," said Millar.