Lexie’s gift appeal for homeless kids

Karen Downey
 

A nine-year-old Edenderry girl is collecting selection boxes and small gifts for 400 homeless children who will celebrate Christmas on Sunday, December 17, with a sit down meal and party in Dublin.
Lexie Delaney has been helping out homeless people with her charitable initiatives for the past two years.
Her latest mission is to collect selection boxes, sweets and small toys for children who are living in emergency accommodation this Christmas.
Lexie's mother, Lillian, told the Offaly Independent this week: “We finish one thing and she's on to the next! She's on a mission for the month of December”.
Lexie had just finished collecting food and money that was used to purchase sleeping bags and clothes for homeless people.
"The Dublin Bay Housing Crisis is having a party on Sunday, December 17, for 400 children who are homeless.
There will be a sit down meal, facepainting, a magician and music,” explained Lillian, who says Lexie is busy collecting for this event next week and has been getting a great response in Edenderry and surrounding areas.
“I only filled a van last Friday and now my house is back to square one, filled with toys and selection boxes,” said Lillian, who said she and Lexie’s father, Derek, are hugely proud of their daughter for her charitable streak.
She said it all began for Lexie two years ago when they were in Dublin for Lillian's birthday and they saw a homeless boy of about 16 sitting on the side of the street.
Lexie asked her mother about him and why he was there and when Lillian explained, the youngster wanted to get him something to eat as they had just been going to Burger King.
Lillian said the boy had been so happy that it started Lexie on her charitable drive for homeless people which has continued again this Christmas.
“Her granny does the lotto in the bookies for all the grandchildren and Lexie's numbers came up and she wanted to buy things for homeless people so we bought stuff and I brought them to a lady I knew who works with the homeless,” said Lillian.
And last year coming up to Christmas Lexie decided to sell all her old toys and held a sale of work in the garden, raising around €400 which was spent on sleeping bags and then people started to donate things.
When she made her Communion in May, rather than spending the money on herself, kindhearted Lexie bought pot noodles and cup-a-soups for the homeless.
Recently her school, Scoil Bhride Edenderry, came on board to help her with her homeless appeal this Christmas, but once Lexie had sent off the supplies last Friday she decided to help children living in emergency accommodation.
 “We are so proud of her,” Lillian said.
“She doesn't ask for anything. I had to make her do her Santa list on Monday. She's delighted with the response she's gotten.”
Anyone wishing to donate can either drop items to Lillian or do so through 'Lexie's Homeless Appeal' Go Fund Me page.