Salvation Army looking for Angel tree donors

With the official launch of its Angel Tree program, The Salvation Army is inviting North Texans to come together as a community to meet a significant increase in Angels in need of adoption. The Salvation Army’s annual holiday tradition plays a pivotal role in ensuring families and individuals experience the joy of Christmas morning, relying on the public to ensure our most vulnerable neighbors have gifts to be placed under the tree.

Home to one of the largest Angel Tree programs in the world, The Salvation Army of North Texas has helped provide Christmas gifts for tens of thousands of local children, seniors and adults with special needs for more than 45 years. This year, more than 45,000 Angels are available to adopt due to a rise in applications for assistance — and there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas — making community involvement more necessary than ever.

This holiday season, the country is attempting to recover from financial strains and a record disaster season. Locally, an estimated 629,000 North Texans are experiencing food insecurity, 159,000 are at risk of eviction or foreclosure, and nearly 2.5 million adults are having difficulties paying for usual household expenses. For the Angel Tree program, the average number of Angels per family has increased from 3.5 to 4.3.

Across the region, thousands are faced with tough choices on how to stretch their already tight household budgets, leaving many torn between purchasing presents for the holidays or putting food on the table. Adopting an Angel provides families with gifts that bring memories and hope lasting well beyond the holidays.

This year, with the later date of Thanksgiving in November, The Salvation Army has had to shift its traditional dates of Angel Tree gift distribution, losing five days. Across nine designated days at five counties in North Texas, The Salvation Army delivers gifts to around 4,600 Angels per day. Volunteers are vital to ensuring all Angels have their presents prior to Christmas morning.

“With a record number of Angels positioned to receive gifts, public support is more essential than ever,” said Major Dawn McFarland, area commander of The Salvation Army of North Texas. “Now is the time for our community to rally together for our neighbors during this season of giving. Gifts received during the holidays through Angel Tree adoptions, monetary donations, or time spent volunteering allows The Salvation Army to meet the physical, social, and spiritual needs of North Texans year-round, and we are grateful for our neighbors who make it possible.”

The Angel Tree program is made possible due to generosity from presenting sponsor GM Financial.

Once an Angel has been registered, their desired Christmas wish list is catalogued by The Salvation Army and available for the public to adopt. Items suggested for purchase include new clothing and pajamas, toys and games, shoes, sports equipment, and essential hygiene and care products.  

Donors can then adopt an Angel in their county online or at participating retail locations, which include: NorthPark Center,

Galleria Dallas, North East Mall, The Shops at Willow Bend, Golden Triangle Mall, Hulen Mall and The Parks at Arlington.

Forgotten Angel tags will also be available for selection at select retailers, which helps The Salvation Army make Christmas happen for those who were adopted but their wishes weren’t fulfilled and they are still in need of gifts.

Once the new, unwrapped items have been purchased, North Texans can bag their gifts per Angel, with the corresponding Angel Tree tag, and drop them off.

Drop-offs will be available from 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Dec. 6-7 at participating retail locations. Drop-offs are also accepted at The Salvation Army weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec. 7. The last day to adopt an Angel and return gifts is Dec. 7.  

Those unable to adopt an Angel can volunteer to sort Christmas gifts for distribution or make a financial donation to ensure all Angels receive items on their wish lists.

To learn more about The Salvation Army of North Texas or donate financially to support the Angel Tree program, visit salvationarmyntx.org/north-texas/angel-tree.

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