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God Bless you on

        

Please make The Angel Tree
a part of your Christmas Tradition.

No child ever chose to live in poverty. These are the "innocents." They are not responsible for their family's reduced circumstances, yet they must live each day of their young lives in ways that most of us would find appalling and unbearable.

The Angel Tree attempts to bring some sunshine into their dreary lives at Christmas time - a time when every other "good little boy or girl" they know receives a visit from Santa Claus. The Angel Tree provides much needed clothing items, special needs gifts and other wished-for toys to Knox County's (and surrounding metro area) neediest children. These gifts in truth give poor children "food for the soul"-the hope of a brighter future and the reassurance that someone does indeed care about them. 

The Angel Tree only accepts children submitted through local agencies in Knox County and a few select agencies in surrounding counties. We do not accept individual requests. If it is too late to participate with the agencies that we work with (they submit registrations to us in August), we suggest you contact The Empty Stocking Fund, Toys for Tots or The Salvation Army to see if they are still taking applications.


Donations
We accept donations throughout the year. They are always welcome and needed to begin the next year's campaign. Mail your check to: 
The Angel Tree, Inc. 
1035 Data Lane
Knoxville, TN  37932-2570



HISTORY

The Angel Tree was started in 1975 by the West Knoxville Business & Professional Women's Club (BPW) as a community service project to provide Christmas gifts for 70 underprivileged children. In 1982 the Club disbanded and Angel Tree Chairman, Laura Kress, organized a group of committed volunteers to continued the project under the auspices of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Knoxville.  In 1993 The Angel Tree incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.  It is supported by a Board of Volunteer Directors. Their decisions are implemented by an Executive Director.

This is the 33rd year of The Angel Tree. It has given birth to other Angel Trees in neighboring cities and the concept has served as a model for many churches, civic groups and shopping malls. The result? Thousands upon thousands of needy children in Tennessee and across the nation receive a visit from Santa Claus-and the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

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LOCATIONS

Visit The Angel Tree at one of the following locations listed below this holiday season and choose a needy child's gift wish. The wishes, along with the child's first name and age, are printed on Angel wish cards hung from a forest of trees. The children's wishes include a variety of toys and clothing-dolls, games, red wagons, trucks, radios, warm coats, underwear, socks and shoes. Shoppers choose a particular child's Angel wish card, purchase the gift requested, then return the gift to one of the many collection drop-offs. The Angel Tree volunteers will process it and see that it gets packed on Santa's sleigh for Christmas delivery to the child. If you are unable to shop for a gift yourself, but would like to contribute, donations are always gratefully accepted.

The Angel Tree begins every year on the day after Thanksgiving.

Foothills Mall
U. S. Hwy. 129 Bypass & Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, TN 
You can select a wish from the trees and return it to the Guest  Services.
Knoxville Center
3000-A Mall Road North
You can select a wish from the trees and return it to the Guest  Services.

Toys-R-Us
8009 Kingston Pike (West Knoxville)
You can select a wish from the tree and return it to the Customer Service Department.
Wal-Mart
7340 Norris Freeway
6522 Chapman Highway
6777 Clinton Highway
5300 Millertown Pike
10900 Parkside Drive
251 Walker Springs Road
Highway 321 - Lenoir City
You can select a wish from the tree and return it to the Customer Service Department.
West Town Mall
7600 Kingston Pike.
This mall has 3 Angel Tree stations staffed by volunteers. You can check out wishes at any of these stations and also return your unwrapped gifts to any one of them. We additionally offer volunteer gift wrapping of shopper's non-Angel Tree gifts in exchange for donations to The Angel Tree.

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VOLUNTEERS

Be a Volunteer!

Since the Angel Tree is a 100% volunteer effort, there are many activities for people to get involved. From checking out wishes to the general public to processing the gifts to helping see that they get delivered to the agencies. Many groups, such as the boy and girl scouts, school groups, church and civic groups, donate their time each year to make Christmas come true for these children. 

 
Tree Staffers
The Tree Staffers are responsible for checking out Wishes to the general public, receiving the purchased gifts and accepting donations. They are stationed at the Angel Tree "Forests" located within the malls

Reindeers
The Reindeer transport the gifts to the main headquarters. They pick up gifts from  satellite trees, business angels and mall headquarters and deliver them to the headquarters storage area for processing.

Gift Processors
These elves are responsible for removing all price and store tags from the gifts. They then bag the gifts and tag them with the Angel Wish tag. These elves are stationed at the main Headquarters.

Sorters
Sort gifts down to the individual child, group with other children in same family. These elves are stationed at the main Headquarters.

Checkers
Group of seasoned volunteers that review every wish and fill any unselected gifts from donations.

Gift Wrap Station
Wrap the public's Christmas presents for a donation to the Angel Tree. Located at West Town Mall.

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AGENCIES

  • ACC - Associated Catholic Charities of East Tennessee
  • BEAN - Child Abuse Prevention Program-Bean Station
  • BCDCS - Blount County Dept. Children Services
  • BGC - The Boys & Girls Clubc of the Tennessee Valley, Inc.
  • CARCO - Appalachian Schools Carter County HS
  • CC - The Children's Center
  • CHM - Claiborne Hunger Ministries
  • DCSFH -The Department of Children Services Foster Homes
  • FG - Early Childhood Development Center-Fair Garden 
  • SAM - Early Childhood Development Center-Sam E. Hill
  • ETR - East Tennessee Rehab/KCARC
  • Family Services Center - Loudon & Monroe County
  • Fort Sanders Educational Development Ctr
  • HC-HS - Hawkins County Head Start
  • HISP - ACC Hispanic Ministries
  • HRM - Helen Ross McNabb
  • JOPPA - Child Abuse Prevention Program-Joppa
  • KAEC - Knoxville Adaptive Education Center
  • LCDCS - Loudon County Dept. Children Services
  • LCFRC - Loudon County Family Res. Center
  • MHGT - Moorland Heights Elementary
  • NOAH - Noah's Ark Foster Care Program
  • RDC - Rocker's Day Care
  • RAS-HS - Rural Appalachian Schools Head Start
  • RAS-J - Rural Application Schools Jonesborough
  • RAS-TZ - Rural Appalachian Schools HS Tazewell
  • RTA - Reflections Treatment Agency
  • RTLG - Child Abuse Prevention Program-Rutledge
  • SKS - South Knoxville Schools
  • SOS - Southside School Johnson City
  • TIPS - Tennessee Infant Parent Services
  • TSD - Tennessee School For The Deaf
  • VMS - Vine Magnet School
  • WASH - Child Abuse Prevention Program-Washburn
  • WVE - West View Elementary School
  • Y-E - YMCA East
  • YWCA - YWCA-Victim Advocacy

Please Visit the Agencies Websites

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For More Information

mailbox

Angel Tree, Inc.
Post Office Box 50211
Knoxville, Tennessee 37950-0211
Fax (865) 450-9645

Please send any comments or questions to

ornament

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Images courtesy of and permission granted by Sir Speedy Printing Center of Knoxville, TN
Angel image courtesy of and permission granted by Angel Tree, Inc.
We're proud to be a part of The Knoxville-Oak Ridge Regional Network!

 

Copyright © 1999-2002, All Rights Reserved Worldwide - Angel Tree, Inc.