'Santa Bus' to deliver gifts to Twin Cities families in need

Po Chanthavysouk's party bus masquerades as Santa's workshop these days, the seats filled with donated games, dolls, pillows, coloring books and blankets, all illuminated by red and green lights.

A few days before Christmas, Chanthavysouk plans to drive the decked-out bus around the Twin Cities, stopping by the homes of families in need of some holiday presents and cheer. Those parents and children will hop aboard the bus, holiday music playing, to find their perfect Christmas gift.

"I just want people in the community to know there are others who care about them," said Chanthavysouk, of Otsego, Minn. "I want to bring that joy and excitement right to their door."

Chanthavysouk had no idea her 30-foot, black Ford 150 van would turn into a "Santa Bus" when she bought it off Facebook marketplace in July 2020. She'd planned to use it to offer mobile therapeutic massages but soon discovered her massage table didn't fit comfortably inside.

"I was really in this spot where I was wondering, 'What is my purpose?'" she said.

So she started brainstorming ways she could use her van to give back to the community when it wasn't being rented for events. By the fall of 2020, she'd found her answer and began ferrying donations of food and clothing to people living in homeless encampments across the Twin Cities.

"As a single mom, I know what it's like to struggle," she said. "I also know what it's like to have someone lend a helping hand and offer a bit of hope."

"It made my spirit happy," Mcwright said. Her children's father died earlier in 2020, and she didn't know how she was going to get gifts for them last Christmas.

"We really needed a boost," Mcwright said. "She really did what she could to bring a smile to my children's faces."

The Santa Bus will once again make a stop at her home this year, and Mcwright plans to let her children hop on board and choose their favorite items.

"It's a very special thing," Mcwright said. "I hope it keeps running year after year."

Chanthavysouk plans on it, especially as she sees the support for her work grow and donations continue to pile up. Last year, she provided gifts for 70 families. This year, she plans to reach 700 people of all ages when she distributes the gifts on Dec. 22 and 23. She used social media to put the call out for donations and identify families in need.

Many of the families don't have reliable transportation, meaning they can't go out and shop for gifts even if they have the resources.

It's empowering for the families to get to choose their own items, Geislinger said.

"Po's so kind, and that energy is contagious," she said. "That makes a difference, too. Being in the presence of someone who cares that much — families can feel that. That's the other big gift she brings to our community."

David and Kim Sandquist of Lake Elmo are also donors this year. Since retiring last spring, Kim has been spending hours in her craft room, sewing pillows and fleece hats that went to the Santa Bus.

"It's an incredible thing that Po is doing," Kim said. "She's letting people know that they aren't forgotten or alone. That's powerful."