Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided
Five years ago the Salvation Army Indiana Division began hosting the Central Indiana Angel Tree, through which donors adopt children (“angels”) from newborn to age 12, providing them with personalized gifts to help make the holidays special. Prior to the Angel Tree program, the Salvation Army hosted a Toy Shop where toys were placed on tables, and parents would select gifts. The organization’s leaders switched to the Angel Tree program to allow for a more a personalized experience. Christmas is a time of happiness and celebration for many, but that’s not always the case for those who come from unstable homes. “We want to give these children the same opportunity that every other child is getting,” says Captain Brianne Bowers, Divisional Candidate and Youth Secretary for the Salvation Army Indiana Division. Often when parents come in to register their child for the program, they are upset because they don’t know how they are going to provide gifts for their kids at Christmas. This year is especially challenging due to COVID-19. “We have no idea what these families have been going through, so we want to be that support and that encouragement to empower them to make Christmas memorable,” Bowers says.
GIFTS FOR ANGELS
CENTRAL INDIANA ANGEL TREE PROGRAM MAKES THE HOLIDAYS SPECIAL FOR YOUNGSTERS 16 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2020 / atBRip.com
This year the Central Indiana Angel Tree will serve 5,000 angels. This number is lower than in past years, but the staff felt the number was plausible given the economic difficulties facing many people in 2020. Each angel will receive a bag of goodies valued at $50. The Salvation Army leaders ask that each bag contain something the child wants, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. “It could be a couple of books or an entire outfit, depending on how the donor shops,” Bowers says.
