St. Vincent de Paul of St. Joseph County received $20,000 from an anonymous donor.

The money will go towards their Christmas program which brings food and toys to needy families in the area.

Officials say every year they need around $45,000 to fund the program, and thanks to this anonymous donor, nearly half their budget is taken care of.

“This takes a huge weight off our shoulders as far as knowing that the money is there. You know we budget every year and we hope and pray that the money comes in and this is a huge help for us,” said Charlie Thompson, St. Vincent de Paul executive director.

The St. Vincent de Paul Christmas program helps around 1300 families each year.