Restaurant offered meals during shutdown – and helped the same 100 families again at Christmas

When generosity is never too much. It took place in Atlanta, complete with a surprising Santa Claus Workshop, gifts – and smiles.

Between October and November, the USA went through a delicate situation: a partial shutdown of the central government. The first in almost seven years.

Budget impasse, disagreement in Congress, a strike that lasted more than a month and affected many services, many companies. And many families.

It was in this context that, in Atlanta, the owners of a restaurant noticed what was happening around them, especially the 100 families who were going through more difficulties: were left without access to SNAP, a national financing program that helps the poorest families buy food.

offered it meals to these families during the longest shutdown ever in the US.

But the altruistic spirit didn’t end the day Donald Trump signed the document that .

This Monday, the same restaurant held a surprise to the same 100 families: “adopted” the children, welcomed the little ones and their families – including a Christmas raffle, a Santa Claus Workshop, free meals, cleaning and hygiene products, other household essentials and lots of toys. And smiles.

Crystal Drakes, co-owner of the restaurant, explains that these 100 families were “hand selected”.

And he explained why he wanted to move forward with something special: “I will ensure that I can make an impact on a life at every opportunity I get, and I will have done my duty, and that is all that matters to me.”

Crystal, a single mother of three children, sympathizes with the stress that other people feel when they don’t know how to support their families.

“I realize that there is always someone who is going through greater difficulties than me”, comments the owner, on .

Crystal adds: “Being able to give back and see smiles on faces warms my heart and makes me so happy”.

Jamese Harris, also a single mother of three children, confessed: “It’s a great relief, I’m relaxed, calm and I feel blessed to receive a blessing this Christmas”.