About the
Roanoke Valley Angel Tree

The Salvation Army Angel Tree program reaches millions of children every year by the generosity of our donors.

If you have an opportunity to bring joy to somebody else's life…why wouldn't you, sign up to volunteer?

Every kid should experience the excitement of receiving a present on Christmas, despite their circumstances.

Making a difference in your community…

The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program has been a tradition in the Roanoke Valley area since 1979.

Angel Tree serves 2000+ Roanoke Valley children every year.

Angel Trees are in shopping malls, corporations, churches and organizations. Call to become a sponsor.

Salvation Army Angel Tree volunteers devote millions of hours each year to make Christmas dreams come true.

Learn how The Salvation Army Angel Tree program and its donors help millions of parents and children in need celebrate Christmas. #LoveBeyondChristmas #SalArmyRoa #SalArmyLoveBeyond


	This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12

How Angel Tree Works

1

Social service agencies and schools refer families to The Salvation Army for help with Christmas. Participants are interviewed to verify the family's need.

2

We obtain the name of each child in the family and a list of desired Christmas gifts. Verification is made to ensure that the family is not receiving duplicate services from another agency.

3

Angel tags are printed for each individual and placed on Salvation Army Angel Trees at area malls and in local companies and organizations.

4

Generous Donors select Angels, purchase gifts, and return them by the given deadline on each tag.

5

Upon their return, the gifts are taken to a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center for processing and prep for pickup by the families.

6

Prior to Christmas Eve, families pick up their gifts from their local Salvation Army on their designated appointment date. Parents wrap the gifts and enjoy the smiles on Christmas morning.

3

Angel tags are printed for each individual and placed on Salvation Army Angel Trees at area malls and in local companies and organizations.

4

Generous Donors select Angels, purchase gifts, and return them by the given deadline on each tag.

5

Upon their return, the gifts are taken to a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center for processing and prep for pickup by the families.

6

Prior to Christmas Eve, families pick up their gifts from their local Salvation Army on their designated appointment date. Parents wrap the gifts and enjoy the smiles on Christmas morning.

5

Upon their return, the gifts are taken to a Salvation Army Christmas Distribution Center for processing and prep for pickup by the families.

6

Prior to Christmas Eve, families pick up their gifts from their local Salvation Army on their designated appointment date. Parents wrap the gifts and enjoy the smiles on Christmas morning.

A History Of Community Involvement

Along with the familiar Red Kettles, the Angel Tree program is one of The Salvation Army's highest profile Christmas efforts. Angel Tree was created by The Salvation Army in 1979 by Majors Charles and Shirley White when they worked with a Lynchburg, Virginia shopping mall to provide clothing and toys for children at Christmas time.

The program got its name because the Whites identified the wishes of local children 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. Thanks to the Whites, who were assigned by The Army to the Lynchburg area at the time, more than 700 children had a brighter Christmas that first year.

Three years later, when the Whites were transferred to Nashville, Tennessee, Angel Tree was launched in the Music City. WSM radio, which airs the Grand Ol' Opry, came on board that year as the first Angel Tree co-sponsor in the U.S.

Because of the on-air promotion on WSM in Nashville, as well as national publicity on CNN and the Larry King Show, news of Angel Tree spread across the country like wildfire.

The Roanoke Valley program includes Angel Trees in local shopping malls and on-site at area corporations, churches and organizations. The local communities have fully supported the Angel Tree program, making it possible to help 2000+ children each year.