There’s a lot of disagreement about the true spirit of Christmas, but giving to the less fortunate typically makes most people’s lists.
It’s the time of year for heartwarming stories, but this one almost didn’t have a happy ending.
A UK charity called Raise The Roof Homeless Project had paid for a group lacking any food or shelter for the holidays to stay at the Royal Hotel in Hull, England, but the hotel canceled on them at the last minute.
Despite the project being in its second year and the first year’s stay at the Ibis Hotel being called a success, the Royal Hotel told the group that it had heard from a source that the group had left a mess and it wasn’t willing to take the risk, despite accepting the original request for 14 twin rooms at a cost of £1,092 (or roughly $1,381).
When the group posted their predicament to Facebook, there was a public outcry.
As you can see, after the public complained, the hotel said they would reinstate the reservations, with conditions, but the charity, wanting the people they serve to be treated with dignity, declined.
After that, there was an outpouring of support from around the UK for the community organization, which raised over $10,000 for their year-long efforts to serve Hull’s homeless population. That’s when the local Doubletree Hilton stepped in and offered up accommodation and meals, for free!
Raise the Roof provides food, clothing, and shelter to homeless people in Hull. They checked to make sure all of their Christmas guests were truly in need and that they would not lose their beds in their regular shelters just for being away for a few nights.
Ultimately, 48 homeless people got to enjoy not just a warm meal and a bed, but posh accommodations for two nights over Christmas.
Some were checked into the local Travelodge where and even their 4-legged friends were welcomed for Christmas Eve and Christmas day to reduce the risk of them going missing. This organization truly thought of everything these people would need to have a happy holiday.
Carl Simpson, who runs for Raise The Roof, said there were “so many happy faces” around the dinner table on Christmas Eve and that many guests just enjoyed the luxury of sleeping soundly for a night without fear. Simpson said of one guest:
“He said he didn’t want to get up because he felt safe. The generosity of the city has just been phenomenal.”
The group received warm meals and gift bags with clothes and toiletries and left notes of thanks around the hotels prior to their departure.
In the end, everyone enjoyed their Christmas and were excellent guests. The Travelodge even reached out to confirm the guests’ good behavior, in case there was any doubt after the unfortunate rumors from last year.
Simpson and his guests have expressed their gratitude on social media and via local news.
It’s hard to imagine what an opportunity like this means to someone who doesn’t have a home or a steady source of food. Reading some of their reactions can only give us a bit of insight:
“My favorite part has been waking up and being able to make myself a cup of tea straight away, without having to wait three hours to get enough change to go and buy one.”
Steve Alston, who has been on the streets for over a year waiting for a shelter bed to open up said:
“It’s been a Godsend really, having somewhere warm to stay. It was so nice to be able to close my eyes and not wake up to someone spitting on me or kicking my head in.”
A man named Dale Bulliment who was homeless but is currently staying in a hostel, even volunteered his time to make sure everything went well. He told the Hull Daily Mail:
“I help out at the soup kitchens and I spent Christmas Day night with everyone making sure it all went smoothly.”
At the end of the day, no one’s generosity went unnoticed and for a short moment, 48 people who have experienced nothing but bad luck in recent months and years got their Christmas miracle.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
