Good Kid 12/24/12

Christmas is a time of giving.

And sometimes kids offer the best reminder of what the holiday season is all about.

Today we meet a good kid committed to helping the homeless of Erie County.

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Kathleen Cancilla, Community Shelter Services, said: "You know what they say, from the mouths of babes, and Matthew has said it all with his donations."

Just a decade of life experience and this 10 year old is donating time and money to help the less fortunate men, women and children in his neighborhood.

Matthew Salchak, 10 years old, said: "My mom used to work at Emergency Shelter, and I had a lot of friends there. I knew what they went through, and I thought I could help out to make at least a little difference."

With the help of his peers at Perry Elementary, Matthew Salchak gathered money for the overflow shelter opened up by Community Shelter Services.

Kathleen Cancilla said: "This is an overflow shelter, so we have to have things moved around. People need food, and he helps in those ways."

He truly has a giving heart.

Matthew said: "You don't get paid for it, and there's no reward. But the reward really is knowing you're helping other people with their life."

And he says this is just the beginning of what, with no doubt, will be a lifelong quest to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.

Kathleen Cancilla said: "He's going to be successful. I can tell you that he has a heart and a will to make something happen. He's something special."

Do you know a good kid?

If so, just log onto yourerie.com and send us an email.

If we feature your good kid, he or she will receive 50-dollars from the law offices of Edgar Snyder and Associates and Jet-24.