Thousands of people are still in need of Christmas presents through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program as the deadline of Saturday, December 3, rapidly approaches.
As of November 30, 20,000 people were still in need, accounting for about half of those in the program.
Captain Maxie DeBlanc with the Salvation Army of North Texas has hope that the community will come through in the next couple of days to ensure that everyone gets a gift.
“We have a community that’s very generous, we’re so grateful for that, so our community has rallied behind us on several occasions and we trust that that will happen again because we can’t do it without the support of those in our community,” she said.
The program is in place to help children, seniors, and adults who are in need during the holidays.
DeBlanc herself was once an angel in the program years ago. “During a time when our family was really having a hard time, my sister was terminally ill and Christmas didn’t seem so bright at first, but hope came in a form of a truck with a shield on it,” she stated.
Now DeBlanc is in a position to give back to the community that helped her in her family’s time of need.
More families are in need this year than ever, due to rising food costs and inflation.
Senior director of community relations at the Salvation Army of North Texas, Christina Cavalier, stated that there has been a 20% increase this year in participants.
The Salvation Army connects with those in need through social services, schools, and sign-ups, then obtains a wishlist from those who want to participate.
From here, people can “Adopt an Angel” online, go shopping for them, and drop off their gifts at a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center.
The drop-off dates for gifts are December 2 and December 3. The last day to adopt an angel is this Saturday, December 3.
You can Adopt an Angel online here or adopt a Forgotten Angel (someone whose wishes have gone unfulfilled) at participating Walmarts or the following malls: NorthPark Center, Galleria Dallas, Northeast Mall, The Shops at Willow Bend, Golden Triangle Mall, Hulen Mall, and The Parks at Arlington.
