DENVER – In the true spirit of the season, our community is giving to families in need over the holidays.
Denver7 first told you about Eddie Walker and his family a few weeks ago. They were living in a motel on East Colfax and had no lights for several days.
"My air conditioning is running off my neighbor's power, and we have all these funny wires everywhere," Eddie Walker said at the time. "I am not getting what I am paying for."
Walker, his wife Ragen Atkinson and their two daughters were then kicked out the day after going on the news to share their story with you.
"They came, and they basically said, 'either you have the money or you have to leave,'" said Walker describing his conversation with motel management. "So, we left."
After watching their story, Denver7 viewers immediately responded and helped get the family into temporary housing. Viewers generously donated more than $14,000 to help the family get back on their feet.
Click here to go directly to the Denver7 Gives donation form then choose a campaign
Your donations through Denver7 Gives allowed Denver7 to not only find the family an apartment, but furnish the entire thing.
"I saw the story on the news and kind of tugged on my heartstrings, of course," said Robyn Nicholson, regional manager at Echelon Property Group, which operates the Mosaic Apartments. "
Earlier on Monday, our friends at Arc Thrift Stores filled a truck full of furniture, and American Furniture Warehouse also brought a truck with them as well, donating beds and mattresses and then putting them together to "make the house look nice for the holidays."
Denver7 anchors Anne Trujillo and Shannon Ogden then came in to spruce up their new home to make it feel like home, and we can’t thank the folks over at Denver Apartment Finders enough for finding a suitable apartment for the family and coordinating with Nicholson, to get the family in their new home quickly.
“To be able to have an apartment with furniture, gifts for the little girls who are just adorable… we're changing their lives today,” Nicholson said. Thanks to your generosity, Denver7 was also able to get a Christmas tree and many, many gifts thank for the girls.
Watch the moment our Denver7 team surprised the family with their new home in the player above.
