Volunteers secretly furnish East Bay fire victim's new apartment

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KTVU) - An East Bay woman who lost all her furniture in a fire several months ago got the holiday surprise of her life Thursday.

While she was at work a group of volunteers secretly furnished and decorated her new apartment.

The woman, Shaquala Toleftee, works two jobs and is a single mother raising a boy who turns 11 on Christmas Day.

"This is beyond amazing. This is the biggest blessing in my life. I've never had anyone put this much into me," said Toleftee as she walked through the door with her son Nadir..

Toleftee  lost all her furniture in an apartment fire in Richmond last March where she was living and recently moved to San Leandro.

"Beyond surprised. Beyond surprised I'm shocked," said Toleftee as she walked from room to room.

The volunteers who furnished and decorated are part of a group called  Christmas in Richmond. Each year the group helps a family in need.

"It is easy to be overlooked as a single mother. And people don't understand, it is really hard for a single mother to say they need help,"  said Burgundi Spears of Christmas In Richmond.

The furniture is donated. It included a living room set, two bedroom sets and a TV.

It took most of the day to get the apartment ready.

Toleftee didn't even know most of the people who did this for her and her son. She says next to the day her son was born, this wiLl be the happiest Christmas of her life.