Homeless will spend Christmas in downtown Dallas hotel

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Hundreds of homeless families in Dallas received a red carpet welcome this Christmas Eve.

Santa Claus greeted the 500 homeless men, women and children at the Omni Hotel. The holiday tradition put on by The Soup Mobile is in its fourteenth year.

Thousands of volunteers lined the red carpet outside the Omni in downtown Dallas, where the homeless guests will have a warm place to stay tonight.

“This right here is a blessing within itself, being where I’ve come from and the transformation I’ve made, it’s awesome, it’s awesome,” said guest Margarita Acosta.

Mesquite's John Horn High School band welcomed everyone with music. After their welcome, the guests celebrated Christmas with a banquet, where Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is head waiter.

The guests will also receive new clothes and gifts in their room at the Omni.