Here's How It All Started. 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 Mr. & Mrs. White identified the wishes of local children by writing their gift needs on Hallmark greeting cards featuring pictures of angels and placing them on a Christmas Tree at the mall. Thanks to the Mr. & Mrs. White, 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 Music City during the 1982 Christmas season. WSM radio, which airs the Grand Ole Opry, came on board that year as the first Angel Tree co-sponsor in the U.S.
Stop by the Angel Trees at Brookwood Village and Riverchase Galleria from November 13-December 8
Angel Tree will be at Brookwood Village from 10 am-6 pm, Mon.-Sat. and Sunday at 12 pm-6 pm.
Angel Tree will be at Riverchase Galleria from 10 am-7 pm Mon.-Sat. and Sunday 11 am-7 pm.
Donors can also adopt actual Angels online!
It’s easy! You can select the age, gender and view the needs and wishes of each child prior to adopting. It’s a simple process and will give you the actual Angel Tag information immediately. Once you select your Angel, you can shop for the child or children and return the unwrapped gifts to the Riverchase Galleria or Brookwood Village by December 8. Click here to adopt an angel online
Adopt an Angel on the WBRC Fox 6 Website here
You can also adopt an angel on the WBRC Fox 6 website or news app.
Forgotten Angels. Each year many of our Angels don’t get adopted, meaning that they do not get returned to us for one reason or another. The Forgotten Angel Program is important part of the Angel Tree Program. We are grateful for Chick-fil-A and Walmart for helping our Forgotten Angels this year.
Chick-fil-A will host “stuff the bus” toy and coat drive at selected locations to help us fill the bus full of gifts. Normally, Chick-fil-A hosts Forgotten Angel Trees in their dining rooms, but due to COVID-19, that is not possible. We are grateful that they have creatively found a way to help us this year through several “Stuff the Bus” toy and coat drives. Bring a new, unwrapped toy or coat for a boy or girl, aged 12 and under to the Chick-fil-A locations listed below during the designated dates and times to help fill the bus full of gifts:
Chick-fil-A Hoover Common: December 1 – 3 • 11:00am-5 pm
Several Super Walmart Stores will also feature Forgotten Angel Trees for donations of new, unwrapped toy or coat for a boy or girl, age 12 and under in bins at the following stores through 12/15/20:
Pelham: 2181 Pelham Parkway
Chelsea:16077 Highway 280
Calera: 5100 Highway 31
Birmingham: 1600 Montclair Road
Other Ways To Give:
Walmart Registry: Just shop online for needed items that will help a child experience a great Christmas. You can go here and select Angel Tree of Birmingham. Through 12/15/20.
Walmart Round-up: Walmart will offer customers the option to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the difference to The Salvation Army through December 31.
