Giving Christmas to the country

Every year, thousands of children would not partake in present unwrapping and celebrating the holidays if it were not for Angel Tree. Many families struggle financially, and buying gifts for their children does not hold the same priorities as paying rent and putting food on the table. Last year, the Salvation Army provided children from these families with more than 60,000 gifts worldwide. The Angel Tree Foundation, put together by the Salvation Army, has run for over 35 years to ensure that children have a wonderful holiday season and get to experience the joy of opening gifts on Christmas morning.

This year, NHS helped fulfill the wishes of fifty children. The club collected money from students amounting to $2500, which went to buying specific gifts for children living in South Florida. After the gifts were purchased, the students placed them in plastic bags and dropped them off to the Salvation Army Donation Center so that the gifts can be handed out. Parents of the children receiving presents from Angel Tree will soon receive the gifts and wrap them to give to their children on Christmas Day.

“The special thing about Angel Tree is that instead of letting children less fortunate than us go without a gift for the holiday season, the program enables parents to give their children a holiday gift in private. This not only empowers parents, but it also brings a sense of normalcy to these children’s lives and brings families together all over the South Florida community,” Flora Ranis, coordinator of the Angel Tree NHS event said.

If you missed the NHS gift drive and want to contribute, grocery stores and malls in the area take donations or hand out gift wish lists so you can purchase a gift yourself. You can also look at the Angel tree website for more ways to donate and get involved.