A Metro Detroit woman who once came to a holiday giveaway needing help is returning this weekend for a very different reason.
Four years after a fire destroyed her family's home, Kamisha Williams-Osborn is now helping other families get back on their feet.
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This is Williams-Osborn's second year as a volunteer at an event called "Christmas in November." The goal is to turn the Pontiac Academy of Excellence gym for a day into a giant free store for families in need.
As the truck arrived at the gym, Williams-Osborn, myself, and dozens of volunteers prepared to unload it and bring it inside, all for a great cause.
For Williams-Osborn, the work is personal.
"It means a lot to me because of the situation I was once in," Williams-Osborn said.
On March 14, 2021, a fire destroyed Williams-Osborn's family home. When asked what she lost in the house fire, her answer was simple.
"Everything but our life," Williams-Osborn said.
A year later, Christmas in November became part of Williams-Osborn and her family's road back.
"The help that this did for me was the struggle of trying to put myself back together. I was able to get my kids' toys for Christmas. I was able to get household supplies, cleaning supplies," Williams-Osborn said.
Now in its fifth year, the event is organized by the Ascend Foundation. The nonprofit's CEO, Kaino Philips, says it could not have happened without Amazon donating around $10 million of products over the years.
"You will see an area for electronics, toys, household supplies," Philips said.
Philips says the idea came to fruition in 2021, when Amazon opened its fulfillment center in the city.
"Our local Amazonians let us know about this project, and we jumped in full force," said Ian Conyers, Amazon's head of community engagement.
Conyers says five years later, Christmas in November is ready to serve around 6,000 Michiganders in need.
"People come through that front door; we're going to give them tickets. Those tickets are going to act as currency. So when they walk in, they walk up to one of these stores, they see something that they want, give them a ticket, and we give them an item and tell them, have a beautiful, blessed holiday," Philips said.
When asked whether someone could walk out with nothing, Conyers was confident.
"No, shot. We've got tons of reserves," Conyers said.
Since its inception in 2022, the program has grown from serving 2,000 Pontiac residents into a transformative community resource now reaching more than 17,000 individuals across the Midwest, with $7 million in essential items distributed to date.
This year, Amazon will contribute nearly $3 million in products, including clothes, tools, household supplies, electronics, toys, and more.
The event arrives at a crucial moment for families navigating rising grocery prices and increasing utility costs, providing access to household necessities, winter clothing, and holiday gifts that many recipients would otherwise need to forgo.
The event is on a first-come, first-served basis, with tickets to shop distributed to all attendees ages 10 and older.
For Williams-Osborn, the journey from receiving help to giving it has taught her a lasting lesson.
"I could have been dead. And I felt like it was a lesson for me to never take things for granted," Williams-Osborn said.
Christmas in November runs Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m. The event is for anyone and everyone in need, not just people who live in Pontiac.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
