The Salvation Army of North Texas has officially kicked off the holiday season with the opening of adoptions for its Angel Tree program, the largest one in the world.
Tens of thousands of local children, seniors and adults with special needs each year experience the joy of Christmas morning through the program, the organization said in a news release. For more than 44 years, The Salvation Army has helped those who are struggling by distributing Christmas gifts provided by donors to be placed under the Christmas tree.
Many in the area are continuing to struggle with the impacts of inflation and rising costs, and the Salvation Army Angel Tree program aims to help alleviate that added financial and emotional stress.
“We have experienced increased requests for assistance this year for Angel Tree, as well as all of our other programs,” said Major Dawn McFarland, area commander of The Salvation Army of North Texas. “The generosity of the public through Angel Tree adoptions, financial donations, and our many other Christmas programs ensures we can meet the physical, social and spiritual needs of North Texans year-round. We are grateful to everyone who is making the holidays brighter and life a little easier for our neighbors.”
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 includes new clothing, toys, shoes, sports equipment, or essential hygiene and care products.
Donors can then adopt an Angel online or at an Angel Tree at participating Walmart and retail locations around DFW. You can adopt an Angel from your own neighborhood — at the above link, select the county you live in to choose a family or individual closest to home. 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, The Salvation Army asks that it is ensured the gifts are bagged per Angel and that the corresponding Angel Tree tag with its code is included inside.
Drop-offs will then be available on Dec. 1-2 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at several mall locations around North Texas. The closest one to southern Denton County is the food court parking lot at Golden Triangle Mall, 2201 South I-35E in Denton. The other mall locations are:
- NorthPark Center: northeast parking lot near Macy’s
- Galleria Dallas: circle drive near Grand Lux Cafe
- North East Mall: Quicklotz parking lot, at the intersection of NE Loop 820 Frontage and NE Mall Boulevard
- The Shops at Willow Bend: Parking lot C at Chapel Hill & North Dallas Tollway
- Hulen Mall: near Dillards, enter at the intersection of Overton Ridge Boulevard and Rock Quarry
- The Parks at Arlington: JCPenney overflow parking lot, near W. Arbrook Boulevard and Parks Mall Drive entrance
Drop-offs are also accepted at some North Texas Salvation Army locations:
- Christmas Center Dallas County, 9216 Harry Hines Blvd.
- Christmas Center Tarrant County, 229 E. Felix St.
- Irving Corps Community Center, 250 E. Grauwyler Road
- Plano Corps Community Center, 3528 14th St.
The last day to adopt an Angel and return an Angel’s gifts is Dec. 2.
Click here for more information.
