NORFOLK, Va. — Families who live in an apartment building on Springfield Avenue can’t spend Christmas in their homes this year after a fire tore through the building Thursday night.
But across the street at Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church, members shared the holiday cheer with those impacted most.
The church held a toy drive Saturday, letting the children impacted by the fire across the street pick first.
“First I got a kitchen playset and then I have an EZ bake," said 10-year-old Synni.
“I got a guitar!” 12-year-old Samiyah exclaimed.
Toys lined the church pews and a few Christmas favorites showed up to surprise the children: the Grinch and Santa Claus!
“It just feels great to see all these people here to help make sure that these families have a Merry Christmas," said Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church Pastor Darwin Little.
When Pastor Little heard of the fire, he immediately opened his church doors to lend a hand.
“These are our neighbors and so we wanted to make sure that they were taken care," Pastor Little said. "To get burnt out four days before Christmas, it’s a tragedy.”
Pastor Little said the fire has brought these neighbors closer. He said they’ve cried and prayed together. But today, they smiled together.
"I hate to say that sometimes tragedy is what brings people together, and I hate that this is what happened to bring the community together," he said.
Pastor Little told 13News Now that they’ll continue to collect donations for the families at Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church.