Secret Santas, layaway angels, pay utility and toy bills

DAYTON, Ohio — A kind act by an anonymous donor will prevent several local families from having a blue Christmas by keeping their utilities on.

Donors are spreading good tidings and cheer to local families by paying their electric bills or layaway accounts.

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For the fifth consecutive year, a local resident and his wife, who have not been identified, gave $500 to the Montgomery County Environmental Services in Ohio to pay off the delinquent water and sewer bills of some struggling families.

"He says, ‘Go and make somebody’s Christmas really special,’" said Briana Wooten, spokeswoman with environmental services, who honored the donor’s wish to remain nameless.

Customer service staff with the county water department have been instructed to pass along to their supervisors the names of any residents who are having a very difficult time keeping up with their bills, said Wooten.

This year, the Secret Santa’s donation will help a single-mother with small children get caught up on her water and sewer account. Her landlord shared the sob story with the county.

"We called her and told her about the money, and she was just thrilled, almost in tears," Wooten said.

The donation also will help bring current the account of a woman who has been going through chemotherapy. Also, in the spirit of the holidays, the county does not shut off customer accounts on Christmas Eve or day.

The Secret Santa's generosity is reminiscent of the "layaway angels," who anonymously pay off the layaway accounts of complete strangers at some major retailers. This year, one angel dropped $10,000 paying off purchases at Walmarts in Middletown, Ohio, and Dayton, Ohio.

Last week, Ceceli Abernathy, a Kettering, Ohio, resident, was at the Walmart in Dayton to pay off the final $50 balance on her layaway account when she received an unexpected surprise.

The clerk told her she owed just a penny. The rest of her balance had been taken care of. Abernathy was floored.

At a time when the country feels so divided politically and hate and unrest seem to be escalating, the gesture was heart-warming and inspiring, Abernathy said.

"It restored my confidence in humanity," said Abernathy, who was buying toys for her 6-year-old daughter, Lilliana McKinney.

The Secret Santa’s selfless giving, Abernathy said, was extremely thoughtful and will definitely help.

"Fifty dollars is $50," she said. "For a single mom, it is nice to be able to put that money back into my pocketbook."

Dayton Power & Light’s Gift of Power program also provides a helping hand to needy families to avoid electric disconnection.

The company started the program this year and pitched in $100,000. DP&L customers donated another $60,000. The program is administered by the Salvation Army.

The money helped maintain and restore service to more than 400 families who had their service shut off or were close to disconnection.

DP&L committed $115,000 for this cause heading into 2017.

DP&L spokeswoman Mary Ann Kabel said the company wants to help customers who have encountered a hardship like losing a spouse or job or being overwhelmed with medical bills.

Customers can apply for assistance starting on Jan. 17, and the program runs through April 15.

People can donate to the program all year long online at www.dpandl.com/gift.

Cox Media Group