KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the holiday season in full swing, a family with metro ties is showing how the giving spirit can be shared amongst one another.
John Scheuch, who lives in Prairie Village, has been a member of Santa America for the last 12 years.
While the holiday season can bring a busy schedule for him, he enjoys bringing smiles to families.
“We do hospice work, visit children in hospice care as well as some elderly and nursing homes,” he explained.
Scheuch’s work also involves organizing donation drives, including one for socks, underwear, and belts called “S.U.B.S for Santa”.
After years of helping out at holiday events, a giving heart has led to Scheuch bringing lots of joy to others.
“Giving is the most important thing,” he told 41 Action News. “There are needs everywhere. All you go to do is find them."
Scheuch is far from the only one in his family who helps out others.
John’s wife helps at a local soup kitchen and his daughter is a special needs teacher.
Jeremy Scheuch, John’s son and a Shawnee Mission East grad who now lives in Chicago, plans to return to Puerto Rico next week to continue helping families devastated by Hurricane Maria.
“It was just about 35 days after the hurricane we were there the first time,” he explained. “Our first trip, we took about 1,000 pounds of supplies down."
Weeks after the hurricane brought destruction to the island, Jeremy told 41 Action News that the need was still great for people to help.
“Once you get outside of San Juan, there's no water, there's no electricity,” he said. “You see fellow humans in need and it's hard to say no."
Jeremy will head back to Puerto Rico next Monday and plans to continue repairing a damaged orphanage located near San Juan.
Similar to his father, a giving heart is helping Jeremy’s quest to assist others in need.
“It needs to be done,” he explained. “These are people in need. I can help. So why wouldn't I?"
With the family busy helping others, John Scheuch said their efforts would continue past the holidays.
“Dec. 26, I’ll be out doing whatever is necessary,” he explained.
Jeremy Schuech is collecting donations to help out the relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
For more information on how to help, visit his GoFundMe page.
