For many children, letters to Santa are all Elsa dolls and Xboxes, but not all are so privileged.

Malik Bryant, a 13-year-old from Chicago's impoverished Englewood neighbourhood, wrote a letter to Santa in which he wished "for safety. I just wanna be safe."

The letter was written as part of Direct Effect Charities' Letters to Santa programme, where around 9,000 letters from underprivileged children are answered personally.

According to the Chicago-Sun Times, the organisation's CEO was so struck by the letter that she referred it to Illinois congressman Mike Quigley, who passed it on to the White House.

On Sunday, Malik received a letter from President Obama himself.

"Each day, I strive to ensure communities like yours are safe places to dream, discover, and grow," Obama wrote. "Please know your security is a priority for me in everything I do as President. If you dare to be bold and creative, work hard every day, and care for others, I’m confident you can achieve anything you imagine."

Malik spoke to NBC about his experience:

"I didn't expect my letter to go to the White House, but I think it sent a message to everybody that it's not safe out here in Chicago."

Spencer Tweedy, son of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, helped share an image of the letter on Twitter.

Every year, my friend Michelle does a Letters to Santa drive. This is a real letter from a kid in Englewood, Chicago: pic.twitter.com/66GNaEQx5J

— Spencer Tweedy (@spencertweedy) December 10, 2014