Zuzu’s Petals brings Christmas cheer to Kansas City families in need

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Christmas season is here. For many, that means shopping, cookies, and classic movies.

Arguably the most famous Christmas movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s the story of a man, George Bailey, who doesn’t see his worth until he gets a glimpse of the world without him in it.

In the story, it’s petals from Bailey’s pocket that give him hope for a second chance.

Those petals are the inspiration behind an up-and-coming nonprofit in Kansas City called Zuzu’s Petals.

Founder John Massey said his main goal with Zuzu’s Petals is to “help bring the magic of Christmas no matter what.”

The organization puts together a perfect Christmas. The presents, decorations, and food for families who need it the most. They make it all happen like Santa’s secret elves.

ALSO WATCH: Zuzu’s Petals on MyKC Live

“We don’t want the kids to know we are involved,” Massey said. “It’s one of the aspects we are big on, allowing the parents to be the hero in this.”

Last year, the organization had its first Christmas in operation. The volunteers were able to bring Christmas magic to 52 kids in the Kansas City area.

Unfortunately, the need is even greater. Applications to receive the gifts came pouring in.

“We were hoping to get maybe 10 kids, and then three days after Thanksgiving, we had 132 applications,” Massey said. “It’s a wonderful problem to have but we were not planning on it getting that big.”

This year, they hope to double the amount of families they can serve. That, of course, depends on donations. They accept any donation – toys, gift cards, clothes, or even monetary donations.

“We are not curing cancer, we are not solving world hunger but we are giving people that just have a rough lot a little bit of a break,” Massey said.

Donations need to be in before delivery day on Dec. 9. They are also still accepting applications to be a beneficiary. All applicants must have three references.

All of the information can be found on zuzus-petals.org.

Read more about the 3 Degree Guarantee initiative here.

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