“Hello. . . My Brother’s Keeper. How can I help you?” I answered the phone.

“Is this the My Brother’s Keeper Christmas line?” In those eight words, I could hear both stress and a tremendous feeling of relief on the other end of the line.

“It is,” I answered. “What would your kids like for Christmas?”

“My four kids all asked for only one thing: beds to sleep on,” Michelle from Dorchester told me. “They’re tired of sleeping on the floor, especially in this cold.”

My heart sunk. While most kids ask for toys, games and clothes, these kids only wished for something we all take for granted: the warmth, comfort and security of a bed and a good night’s sleep. No child should have to ask for a bed for Christmas.

“You’ll have brand new ones for everyone delivered by Christmas Eve,” I was happy to tell her. I silently thanked God for the thousands of supporters of My Brother’s Keeper who so generously give us the resources we need to say ‘yes’ to struggling mothers like Michelle.

“So your kids are 7, 8, 12 and 13,” I continued. “Now that the beds are taken of, what would they like for Christmas?”

“Trucks, transformers, dolls, books, board games,” Michelle told me. That’s more like it, I thought to myself. Thank you, God!