An inspiring Christmas gift drive recognized grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

Grandparents from across Westchester County gathered at Castle Royale in Yonkers for "The Angel Project" luncheon event which matches residents with grandparents raising grandkids.

Participating residents, known as angels, purchase a gift for the grandparent with a spending limit of $100.

"What happens is they sacrifice everything because they know they have to take care of these kids…but nobody gives the grandparents anything," said state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

Stewart-Cousins has hosted the annual event for the last seven years. She said grandparents who raise their grandchildren should be honored because they are taking on unique challenges. They're older, raising children on often limited incomes and some, like Gloria Jordan, are battling illnesses like cancer through it all.

"Without my grandkids, I'd a been dead," she said.

This year, 184 grandparents raising grandkids are receiving gifts through the project.

The grandparents were identified for the inspiring event through several organizations that help the families, including Family Service Society of Yonkers, Family Ties of Westchester, the Westchester County Department of Social Services and Yonkers YWCA.