ORLANDO, Fla. – This week, thousands of families are picking up Christmas gifts generously donated by the community through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.
Angel Tree helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. News 6 is a proud sponsor of Angel Tree, supporting those who need extra help to make their holidays special. Five thousand children and 1,000 seniors are benefiting from the Orlando Area Command’s Angel Tree program this year.
For many recipients, Angel Tree is nothing short of a miracle.
“It means a lot to me, because I just recently had a surgery on my arm, and I had to pay out of pocket for my surgery, so it’s kind of hard to be able to provide for my children,” said mom of four Aralis Rivera. “If we didn’t have something like Angel Tree, I don’t know how I would have been able to tell him, ‘hey, look, this is all what I can do.’”
[WATCH: News 6, Salvation Army kick off Angel Tree program]
Dad Miguel Nieves shared how it is helping him be able to create new memories with his family.
“It means the world to me because last year I didn’t have my kids, they were taken away in the system, and I finally got them back, and I finally get to spend Christmas with all my children,” he told News 6. “Seeing their faces when they wake up and open those presents is my greatest Christmas present.”
The volunteers who help distribute the gifts are a major part of what makes the program possible. Volunteer Sheryl Stone knows firsthand the impact Angel Tree has on families.
“It brings me back to when my daughter was little and times were hard, and if it hadn’t been for the Salvation Army, my daughter wouldn’t have had Christmas,” Stone explained.
For Sheryl, volunteering is about paying it forward and blessing others.
When asked what it is like to hand their presents to families, she replied, “Heartwarming. Heart-touching. It’s going to be hard to keep the tears back.”
Whether it’s a teddy bear, a bike, or a stocking filled with love, Angel Tree is giving families a merry Christmas and helping them avoid choosing between presents and bills.
“Times are so hard,” said mom Eryca Thomas. “Sometimes people are barely making it with the groceries. I was literally right there this month. So, this is just a blessing to be able to make Christmas happen. I’m so grateful for the community.”