In a typical year, The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program puts new clothes and toys under the tree for 1 million children across the country who would otherwise go without Christmas gifts.
Here’s how the program works, according to the Salvation Army:
- Social service agencies and schools refer families to The Salvation Army for help with Christmas. Participants are interviewed to verify that the family is truly in need.
- The Salvation Army obtains the name of each child or seniors in the family and a list of desired Christmas gifts. Verification is made to ensure that the family is not receiving duplicate services from another agency.
- Angel tags are printed for each individual and placed on Salvation Army Angel Trees at area malls and in local companies and organizations.
- Generous donors select Angels, purchase gifts, and return them to the Angel Tree by the given deadline on each tag.
- Upon their return, the gifts are taken to a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center for pickup by the Angel families.
- During the seven days prior to Christmas Eve, families pick up their gifts.
Head here for a list of Angel tree locations.
The Salvation Army also collects toys, clothes and items for “forgotten angels,” kids and seniors who were “adopted” but didn’t receive the gifts because their adopters failed to follow through.
For more information, visit https://salvationarmyhouston.org/houston/.
KPRC 2 Community and our partners at Energy Transfer and Houston Christian University are proud to spotlight organizations and programs like the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.