MINNEAPOLIS - It's December, so of course it's not unusual to see gifts under the tree.
But the gifts under the Morelli's tree aren't for Christmas, and they're not even for anyone in the Morelli family.
These presents are the birthday wishes of 9-year-old Joey Morelli, who decided he wanted to share his gifts with those in need.
"We were sitting at the kitchen table and he said, 'This year, I don't want presents,'" said Joey's mom, Traci.
After seeing a story from KARE 11, Joey said he wanted to help the homeless community. However, an event at school helped him decide exactly how to do it.
"I had this food drive at school that was giving food to homeless people so then I came up with an idea to give warmth to people," said Joey. "So I got like, a ton of blankets."
45 blankets to be exact.
"I'm really happy," he said. "It means a lot."
Joey and his mom plan to deliver the blankets Tuesday - the same day members of the homeless encampment will move to a new shelter, called the Navigation Center, on land owned by the Red Lake Nation.
Minneapolis officials say the shelter will stay open until May. After that, the Red Lake Nation plans to break ground on a new affordable housing project at the site of the Navigation Center.