It was an unlikely combination but it worked magic, a Secret Santa in Phoenix, Arizona enlisted a Homeless elf to spread Christmas cheer during this beautiful holiday season.
Kind-hearted businessman asked a homeless man named Moses Elder to hand out $100 bills to complete strangers who he believed demonstrated kindness or a need for generosity.
He gave him $3,000 in total, and stood on the street holding out a cup to ask pedestrians for loose change. Some people brushed past him in indifference, while some stopped and offered him their money, and were taken aback by what he did next. In exchange for acknowledging him, Elder gave them a $100 bill and thanked them for their “kind heart”, or say a simple “God bless” as they moved apart. All those who received cash gifts were in tears by this gesture.
The Secret Santa said, “You know, it’s a myth that the homeless just take. From my experience, the people with the least give the most of what they have.”
One of the recipients was Danny McCoy, who received cash from Elder is a father of 7 kids who was finding it hard to provide Christmas gifts for his family. He also offered money to two people he knew from church- one man received $400, while a homeless mother-of-five received $500.
Santa gave Elder some money as well, but the homeless man said that what he took away from this entire experience was being able to show kindness and help others in need. He said, “Today we changed a lot of people’s lives. But I believe my life was changed the most.”