paula ebben has the story new at 6:00. >> reporter: sorted bagged and hauled away. inside the warehouse, the volunteers are in overdrive. >> people are either dropping off or picking up all day. >> reporter: this area serves more than 100,000 of the state's most needy children from birth to age 12 providing the items kids need to keep warm and feel loved. >> we have a specifically designed pack that comes with socks, hats, school supplies, books, clothing, anything you can imagine. >> reporter: cradles to crayons is trying to serve 32,000 children through their winter program, but right now, they need help! all of these bins you see right >> reporter: so boots are at a huge need. >> boots are absolutely at a huge need. >> hats, coats, things we need. we want to encourage people to dig a little bit deeper if they have already given and give a little bit more. >> it's important. we are grateful to cradles to. >> it's such a great program. this time to have the year, you think about giving kids toys. maybe it's not as, well, popular for them, but the coat is important.

paula ebben has the story. day of bellringing at the market basket in billerica. the salvation army taking donations to fund the poor. >> i was quite shocked. i had to pause for a moment and then i found a ring. >> reporter: this diamond ring, someone's engagement ring, given anonymously. >> we had it appraised and they said the replacement value would be $3500. >> reporter: last december, there was a rash of jewelry donations placed in the red kettles. first, wedding rings in boston, a cross in brookline, a pendant in fitchburg. more rings in weymouth. this is the first time that the lowell area salvation army has received a gift. >> it's nice to know someone would give a gift of this value, something personal. >> reporter: money raised from the ring and other efforts will go to help the needy during the holidays. >> we will help over 600 families with food. the children in those families just to make the holiday time special. >> so, the ring will be auctioned on saturday but the salvation army says that is the smaller donations in the red kettles that allow them

paula ebben is here with the details. >> before the judge sentenced dion for his crimes she wanted to hear from those who knew the man. his former fiancee could not hide her anger. >> i'm here to represent the victims affected by the crime. some are in heaven. some are alive. >> matthew dion stared ahead -- as his former fiancee described what she knew. >> all i could describe was what i knew when you were at work. >> and then the developing hatred as she took on the children's anguish? >> where is papa? is he okay? why can't we see him? especially buttercup. he cries still for you. >> on thursday the 40-year-old manchester man pleaded guilty to second degree murder admitting to beating and strangling his parents 71-year- old robert and 67-year-old constance dion in 2014. several days later he set the family home on fire, their bodies inside and fled to florida. he wasn't captured until june. >> i feel perpetually sad, devastated loss, empty, embarrassed and mentally paralyzed and heartbroken. prison cell. >> are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? >> yes, your honor. >> but h