BROWN COUNTY – As the holiday season approaches, so too does one of the busiest times of the year for the Salvation Army as they prepare to make miracles for children and adults alike through the Adopt a Family and Angel Tree programs.
While the Salvation Army collects donations year-round, Christmas-time can prove to be especially important for families in need. The nonprofit organization works to make sure every kid gets to experience the spirit of the holidays.
“It’s interesting because a lot of our programs, we’re meeting basic needs,” said Major Catherine Fitzgerald, the Salvation Army’s Brown County Area Coordinator. “Like, we’re feeding people, we’re making sure they have a roof over their heads… but Christmas is different, right? These are Christmas toys.
This feels a little extra, and yet at the same time, for a child, it’s not extra. It’s necessary.”
Work for the Adopt a Family program begins in the summer prior to Christmas each year. Starting in August, the Salvation Army works with 10 to 12 different agencies that make referrals for families to be ‘adopted.’
Agencies identify high need families and refer them to the program.
Once adopted by a business, family or individual, the adopter receives a wish list from their adoptee.
On Dec. 8, adopters bring back all of the items from the wish list they are donating to the Salvation Army, who sorts the items by family at a chosen space for them to pick up on Dec. 10.
“So it’s all super organized. It’s a very work intensive program, but it’s such a blessing because it’s very personal,” Fitzgerald said.
This year, the program is supporting 389 different families, totaling to 1,677 people, and the chosen location is the former JoAnn Fabrics at 2777 S Oneida St.
The Angel Tree program utilizes an online system where people can go online and sign up for their children to receive toys.
The Salvation Army collects information to determine if someone qualifies for the program. After being accepted, the wish list of the registered person is shared to donors throughout the community.
“We collect toys from businesses, from Walmart and we work with Toys for Tots. So all the toys collected from those things in Brown County will come to our distribution center, which is at that JoAnn’s, and we’ll sort it,” Fitzgerald said.
After the toys have been sorted and categorized, a toy shop is set up for registered parents to ‘shop’ through.
27 people enter the toy shop every 15 minutes for two and a half days. Volunteers check them in and assist with their shopping experience by walking and talking with them.
Parents get to choose toys for their children, as well as receiving a book from Give a Kid a Book and a food basket.
“I love being a chaperone with parents,” said Fitzgerald. “You get to talk to them, you hear their story and they’re always so faithful.”
Fitzgerald also noted that the Salvation Army offers prayer for anyone interested, wanting to care for people’s mind, body and soul.
“Sometimes families are going through a really hard time, and for somebody to take the time to bring over their family [and pray with them], people really appreciate that,” she said.
Having served the Salvation Army for over 15 years, Fitzgerald has seen the long-lasting impact that these Christmas programs have had on the community.
“People come up to me all the time and tell me, ‘Oh, if it weren’t for the Salvation Army we wouldn’t have had Christmas when I was growing up,’” she said.
Along with the hard work put in by members of the Salvation Army, volunteers and donors are an integral part of the process for these programs as well.
Currently, bilingual volunteers are in high need. To find more information on how to volunteer, visit sagreenbay.org.
For any interested donors, toy collection boxes are stationed around the county for people to drop off toy donations. Fitzgerald encourages people to not just think of obvious toys.
“I would encourage people to not just think of obvious toys, but think of the youngest kids and the oldest kids,” Fitzgerald said.
The Adopt a Family and Angel Tree programs aim to provide joy to families in need during the holidays. Any donation or volunteer work goes toward keeping the Christmas spirit alive in the homes that need it most.
“It’s so important for a child to feel special and loved and cared for at Christmas…” Fitzgerald said. “It really is so important, and that impact, it stays with me.”
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