On Dec. 11, Letty Valdez, life enrichment manager, met with administration at the Stults Elementary School to drop off gifts donated by the seniors at Presbyterian Village North (PVN). The residents adopted 30 children as part of the angel tree program to provide gifts for this holiday season.
The Angel Tree program is one of The Salvation Army’s highest profile Christmas efforts. The program got its name because Majors Charles and Shirley White identified the wishes of local children in Tennessee by writing their gift needs on Hallmark greeting cards that featured pictures of angels. They placed the cards on a Christmas tree at the mall to allow shoppers to select children to help. The news covered the event and Angel Tree spread like wildfire. Now, the program includes Angel Trees in local shopping malls and on-site at area corporations, churches, organizations and schools across the country.
“Our residents enjoy making a difference in our community,” said Valdez. “We have partnered with Stults Elementary on many events and we truly cherish the partnership. They do it for community outreach, relationship, partnership. It gives our residents a sense of purpose.”
PVN has participated in the Angel Tree program with Stults Elementary for nine years. Because of the pandemic, instead of buying the children gifts, the residents gave $40 per Angel and Valdez purchased the gifts for the children.
“It feels great to be able to help someone in need,” said Valdez. “Some of us are blessed to be able to purchase items for our family and friends and not think much of it. There are others who are stressed about the Holidays when it’s meant to be happy and enjoy.”
For more information about the Angel Tree program or to adopt an Angel, visit tsamm.org/angeltree.