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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

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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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

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