Salvation Army Angel Tree Program

20,000 People Still Need Gifts From Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program

The annual tradition has seen a 20% increase in requests, resulting in many needed angels to be adopted

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The deadline is quickly approaching for The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program and thousands are still in need of a gift.

The deadline to adopt an angel is Dec. 3, and there are still 20,000 who need to be adopted, which is more than half.

"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," said Captain Maxie DeBlanc with the Salvation Army of North Texas.

The program has been around since 1979 and has helped provide millions of gifts to kids, seniors and adults with special needs around the country during the holidays.

"It allows them to know that there is a community who cares about them, that they have people who support them and that they're not alone this holiday season," said DeBlanc who was a recipient of 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," said DeBlanc about the generosity of the Salvation Army and the community.

Her family was able to have a Christmas, and now the moment has come full circle for her to do the same for others.

"It's life-changing, it gives me joy to get up every morning knowing that someone else may have this experience, that someone else is going to have the impact of the Salvation Army and who knows, maybe one day they'll be doing the same thing I'm doing," she said.

Inflation and the rising cost of food and goods have translated into a bigger need for help from families.

"The Salvation Army is expecting to see an increase in demand in need, we've already seen a 20% increase in requests for our Angel Tree program," said Christina Cavalier, senior director of community relations at the Salvation Army of North Texas.

Through the Angel Tree program, social services and schools, The Salvation Army is in contact with families in need. They get the name of each child, senior, or adult with special needs along with a Wishlist.

People can then "Adopt an Angel" online and choose whether they want a boy or girl and which age range. From there, they go shopping for the gifts and then drop them off at a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center.

"They can return their gifts Dec. 2 and 3 throughout malls in North Texas, just drive-thru, drop them off and we'll get them to the people in need," said Cavalier.

The last day to adopt an Angel is Dec. 3.

People can also adopt a "Forgotten Angel" in person at participating Walmart and mall locations. According to The Salvation Army, those are people, "who were adopted but their wishes weren't fulfilled and are still in need of a gift."

The Salvation Army Angel Tree
Adopt an individual angel online only through Dec. 3. Adopt Forgotten Angels only at Walmart and the following mall locations:

NorthPark Center
8687 N Central Expressway, Dallas

Galleria Dallas
13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas

Northeast Mall
1101 Melbourne Road, Hurst

The Shops at Willow Bend
6121 W Park Boulevard, Plano

Golden Triangle Mall
2201 S. I-35E, Denton

Hulen Mall
4800 S. Hulen Street, Fort Worth

The Parks at Arlington
3811 S. Cooper Street, Arlington

The last day to adopt an Angel is Dec. 3.

The Salvation Army Angel Tree gift drop-off locations:
NOW through Dec. 4 at The Salvation Army; Dec. 3 – 4 at drive-thru locations. To find a drop-off location, visit SalvationArmyNTX.org.

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