St. David's In-the-Pines Episcopal Church and The Benjamin School were huge contributors matching gifts to specific children through the Back to Basics Angel program and additional lists supplied by NOAH staff members that includes kids' ages, sizes and special requests.

"With the Back to Basics Angel program, they ensure that children have the basics so they give them shoes, socks and underwear," Givens-Barber said. She was amazed at the generosity of church and the School, which calls each year for a number of children to supply gifts for. "They were very generous this year."

The children received the gifts at parties held at each of the centers from Dec. 19-21. NOAH Executive Director Thomas Roberts donned a Santa suit and, with the help of some donors, gave out the gifts to the kids. Parents were invited to look on.

"It's great because some of the children may or may not have gotten Christmas at home, and the generosity this past year was just unbelievable," Givens-Barber said.

Some other exciting activities that closed out 2006

Theater: Children in the pre-K classes at the Fortin and Farrar centers attended a performance of Suessical the Musical at Palm Beach Community College's Dolly Hand Cultural Center on Dec. 8 and saw a Dec. 13 performance of Rip Van Winkle. Matilda Edwards would like for the children to experience even more. "One of our goals is to really try to get transportation to get over to the coast for some of the activities there, but everything done locally, we go to."

Activities: Children and staff at both centers participated in the Children's Services Council's Third Annual Family Reading Together project for which they read the book, Yikes! They also performed a Nativity skit and sang Christmas carols to parents and guests.

Special needs, special deeds: You know you are special when you are able to look beyond your immediate needs to help others with theirs. The special-needs children at the Fortin center participated in a bike-a-thon and raised $83.27 cents for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, a pediatric treatment and research facility. The hospital boasts that its discoveries have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Fortin can boast how it helps children discover things about themselves that can completely change their lives.

No fudging on prizes: Parents of children at the Farrar center participated in a fudge-selling fundraiser and one parent, Farnande Elisee, sold more than 30 orders. She earned an expense-paid vacation and a free JC Penney portrait.

Staff gets treated, too: If the children and residents served by NOAH are happy, that means there is a hard-working staff making it happen for them. The organization did not overlook its staff members during the holiday season. In December, they were treated to Fort Lauderdale's legendary Jungle Queen Riverboat cruise.