On Christmas Eve, the Newport Professional Firefighters Local 45 I.A.F.F. will host its “Beyond the Call” program, which assists less fortunate families during the holiday season by providing their children with toys, clothing, food, and other essential needs.
Families are selected with the assistance of the Family Resource Center at the Newport Primary School. This year the program is providing for six families with a total of twenty-three children among them. Gifts will be delivered to each of the family’s residences on Christmas Eve by Santa riding in a fire truck.
This year’s program will be the 29th consecutive year.
“Beyond the Call” has now assisted 526 children in 131 different families within the City of Newport, spending more than $79,000 since its inception in 1993.