Student at Dongba Xilin School at Global Times charity event [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]

In addition to the employees of Global Times, there were approximately thirty volunteers in total from the Media and the Italian, Pakistani and Azerbaijan embassies as well as the Singaporean Chamber of Commerce.

Migrant worker families admittedly come from humble rural origins, where they often don’t have the financial means to purchase adequate school supplies for their children.

The students' eyes radiated with energy as the volunteers passed out school supplies and chocolate bars to the rows of students inside one of the classrooms at Dongba Xinli School.

But it's more than just collecting gifts, emphasizes lively puppeteer Mr. Magic, a New York native but a 15 year resident of Beijing.

"It's important to give money, and food and stuff, but I think it's as important to give your time, to really let the kids enjoy life," he stresses, as green, curly locks of his frizzy wig "whisping" against his forehead.

The giggling kids chanted, "Mo shu xian sheng-Mr. Magic!" as he did tricks and, to their absolute delight, joked with them in impeccable Chinese as he passed out candy treats to their eager, mittened hands.