Calling all angels
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on November 24, 2017 5:50 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wish Trees are set up near the main entrance of Berkeley Mall for people to purchase Christmas gifts for the needy in Wayne County.
With Christmas fast approaching, Wayne County children are dreaming of toys and other goodies for the holidays.
But some children would not have anything under their tree if not for the Salvation Army's Christmas Angel Tree program and the generosity of this community.
The program will provide toys for about 900 local children this year, said Capt. Sherrie Stokes with the Salvation Army.
Families completed an application process back in October.
"We analyzed their income and their expenses," Mrs. Stokes said. "And in order for a family to receive Christmas assistance, they had to have attended one of our lifeskills classes during the 12 months before."
She also said that if someone has applied for Christmas help three consecutive years, they are not eligible the fourth year.
"With the assistance and resources that we give and the classes that we teach, they should have received some type of resources to help them Mrs. Stokes said.
"There are going to be one or two that are just greedy and they want everything they can get. I tell our volunteers taking applications that they've got to get through the greedy to get to the needy."
Mrs. Stokes said the Salvation Army compares its list with other agencies so there's no double dipping by any applicant.
Angel Trees will be all Wayne County Walmarts, Clinton Walmart, Berkeley Mall, K&W Cafeteria, Gold's Gym, Atlantic Eye Center, Seymour Funeral Home and Olive Garden.
The groups was hoping to have all the trees up the Monday before Thanksgiving, Mrs. Stokes said.
"The reason for this is that many people love to go Black Friday shopping, and if they can get a better deal, they can save money and help a community member."
The process is simple: Go to an Angel Tree, take a tag off, buy gifts and return them with the card, making sure the gifts are not wrapped, no later than Dec. 8.
Each card contains the child's first name, age, clothing sizes and his or her wish list.
"In the past, we've said no electronics, but our generation of children are getting into electronics, but our generation of children are getting into electronics," Mrs. Stokes said. "Some children are using tablets to do all of their homework on."
She said this year, the families asked strictly for the necessities -- coats, socks, underwear.
"It really says something when they ask for those necessities," Mrs. Stokes said. "They say anything the community gives them, they'll be thankful for.
"We had one lady who was in a house fire in March and the family is still recovering. They had to go out and get a new home and replenish everything in the home. It's difficult."
Mrs. Stokes said some of the applicants were Hispanics dealing with their spouses being deported.
"We had one lady come in and her husband was in a car accident," she said. "The police found out that he was an illegal and he was deported and cannot return to the United States for 10 years. This mom has always been a stay-at-home mom with no trade and two children. All of her family is either in Mexico or Texas. Situations like that really tug at your heart."
Mrs. Stokes said a lot of the other applicants were applying for assistance due to lack of income, like single moms who have young children and no family to watch their children while they work at night because first shift jobs are hard to find.
"Some people are employed; they're just not making enough to provide Christmas for their children," she said. "I tell them they know Christmas comes the same time every year and ask them why they are not saving their money. Most of their responses are 'It's hard to save money when you don't have extra money to save.'"
Distribution days will be Dec. 14 and 15.
Applicants first go to a 15-minute devotion.
"Last year when we did our devotion, there were women and men in tears just hearing the testimonies that were being shared and hearing the prayer requests," Mrs. Stokes said. "Knowing that there are people in the community going through the same things you are going through can do something to you emotionally."
She said when volunteers come out with the applicants' bag of toys and sometimes even a bicycle, the applicants are overwhelmed.
Not only does each family walk out with toys for the children, but also a holiday food box consisting of a turkey (if the Salvation Army gets some donated), vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy and other items.
If there is not food donated, the Salvation Army pulls items from its food panty, but also needs donations for that, too, such as canned goods, soups, canned meats, vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy and children's snacks.
The Salvation Army will also take donations of wrapping paper, scissors and tape so the applicants can wrap the presents themselves.
"If we have families who have already come to us for help, they may find it difficult to purchase wrapping paper and things of that nature," Mrs. Stokes said.
She said if someone doesn't have time to take a tag off one of the trees and go shopping, he or she can buy some toys to donate or even make a monetary donation.
"We want to make a change in this community," Mrs. Stokes said. "We want to help each other."
For more information about the Christmas Angel Tree program, call the Salvation Army at 919-735-4811.