Katie Holmes reads to at-risk youth during Epic holiday event in NYC

 Katie Holmes  is doing her part to spread holiday cheer this season.

The actress sat down with a group of children in New York this week to share her favorite festive books before doing some holiday arts and crafts.

For the evening, the 42-year-old partnered with subscription-based digital reading platform Epic for their My Winter City event on Tuesday in the Big Apple. Some of children who attended came from the Harlem-based after-school reading and martial artists program, Hit The Books.

“I had a great time at @epic4kids great holiday event! I love reading with kids during this special time of the year,” Holmes wrote in her Instagram caption following the program.

Hit The Books is non-profit that targets youth ages seven- to 12-years old, and provides tutoring and mentoring help. Epic is a desktop and mobile app reading company for kids 12 years old and under. Together, they combined to guide at-risk youth in a positive direction, using the star power of Katie Holmes to make the whole event that much more impressive.

The former Dawson’s Creek star showed up in a perfect winter-ready ensemble, wearing a black-and-white striped sweater, white pants, and black slip-on mule shoes with a closed toe and no back.

Her curly brunette locks were showcased in her siganture, short style, hanging just below her shoulders. She finished the look with a burgundy-colored face mask in order to keep everyone in attendance safe.

In one photo from the event, the actress is seen sitting in a red chair while reading Twas the Night Before Christmas to the children. In another snap, she shows off her black fingernail polish as she decorates miniature ginger-bread houses with the tots.

As for her professional life, Holmes’ latest project is the film adaptation of Kathleen Turner’s Rare Objects, which tells the story of a young woman who seeks to rebuild her life while working at an antique store.

The Toledo, Ohio-native was formerly married to actor Tom Cruise for nearly six years from 2006 to 2012, and had a daughter, Suri, 15. Her ex-husband has custody of the teenager.

Since getting a divorce, Holmes has beenn romantically linked to Jamie Foxx, 53, and 34-year-old Emilio Vitolo Jr., with whom she broke up with earlier this year.