Angel Tree Help

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I have an odd question regarding the Salvation Army Angel Tree: Is it possible to call them and request a specific family?

I have a student I believe was submitted for the Angel Tree. There is a lot going on with this family. For conferences, we did home visits, and it was eye opening. Even our counselor, who has seen it all, cried. I've been doing what I can, slipping crackers/granola bars in her backpack, getting everyone in class a book from the bookfair, slipping Happy Meal toys in her backpack, but I'm sort of limited by the school in how much I can do. I'm not even sure what I'm doing now is kosher. I really want her to have a good Christmas. I would love to adopt their family. Has anybody tried this before? Would they let me do it?

 

[java]

Could you do it anonymously on your own? I don't know much about the angel trees. I don't understand why your district would prohibit that? I suppose to avoid the "favoritism" garbage. But really why can't you help when you want to. That stinks. Perhaps you could call and find out if they have submitted to the Angel Tree request first step.

And it warms my heart to read what you are trying to do.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Like I said, there is a lot going on with this family that I'm really not at liberty to say. I talked to our school's social worker about waiving the rules of our school's adoption program so they could get on the list (to be adopted, parents have to volunteer 20 hours in our school, and the parents are not in our district and do not have transportation, so this is an impossibility for them.) She told me they were "submitted to the Salvation Army's list." I'm assuming that means Angel Tree.

 

[amyy]

Couldn't you buy some gifts and have a taxi deliver them. That is what I would do. Once when in a similar situation my coworker and I dropped stuff off on the doorstep when no one was home. Or if you live in a real small town without a taxi (like I do) I would mail the gifts with a fake return address. Maybe the North Pole or something. If you sent items on-line I am sure you could do that.

 

[KirstenB]

How about sticking a gift card to your local grocery store in their mailbox from Santa? I've done this in the past, and never been "outed".

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Once submitted, only the charity delivering the gifts know which "angel" belongs to a specific person. If you feel the need to help a specific family, I would just do it. I would get each person a gift of fun and a gift of need. Depending on the size of the family you could do this within a budget. I would then just have it delivered to the family, maybe from a friend you know that is not part of the school circle.

Gift suggestions that are always welcome are:

Young boys: Wants: trucks/lego's, needs sweatpants, socks
Young girls: Wants: dolls/Disney stuff, needs pajamas, socks

Pre-teen/teen boys: Wants: gift card to Walmart, needs sweatshirt marked down from a "cool" store in your area (here it is aero, hollister) Mark downs are in the back of the stores.

Pre-teen/teen girl: Wants: gift card to Walmart/mall, needs any clothes on the markdown at popular store.

Parents: Wants: Maybe a movie gift card, needs grocery store gift card...

A long time ago, we were adopted by a company. The gifts were very close to what I stated above. The nicest thing was a coat for myself. It had been years since I had purchased a new coat for myself, always giving to the kids and hubby first.

Sometimes, the simplist gifts mean the most.

Bless you and have a great holiday.

 

[chell]

Sorry I can't help you with your original question. All I know is to call and ask.

But this is a long shot but but one of our local radio shows, Ace & TJ, do this thing called Breaking and Entering Christmas where they go into the home and leave Christmas presents, food and decorations. I think it is open to all of the listening areas. They have a station that carries them in Cape Girardeau. When I pull up the map I see that it is about 5 hours from the city you have listed but I figure it is still worth it for you to fill out the nomination form. The due date is November 25.

Families like this are the ones they love to help. It really is moving to listen to them when they go in these homes. You need to have tissues handy on those days. Take a look at the link and see if you have all of the information to fill out the form. I hope you can nominate them and they can be selected.

You have a wonderful heart!!!

 

[aprilgail2]

Like I said, there is a lot going on with this family that I'm really not at liberty to say. I talked to our school's social worker about waiving the rules of our school's adoption program so they could get on the list (to be adopted, parents have to volunteer 20 hours in our school, and the parents are not in our district and do not have transportation, so this is an impossibility for them.) She told me they were "submitted to the Salvation Army's list." I'm assuming that means Angel Tree.

Are you serious?? They make the needy families colunteer or they don't help them?? Wow- that is so wrong. Its not always possible for anyone-even a needy family to have 20 free hours to volunteer. Last year one of our families we helped had a dad with a brain tumor who was at home in bad shape and the mom worked 2 low paying jobs just to keep a roof over their heads....there was no time for either of them to do nonsense work at the school!! I work for a charity that helps children out- the school knows this and once they get wind of a needy family in school they will tell me (NOT the names of the people of course but just the sex and ages of kids and anything special the kids want- I happened to know the brain tumor dad family personally) and I will bring the nurse and social worker in the bags of toys and they will distribute them to the family in need- the teachers and staff then all chip in money and they buy the families whatever else they need.

 

[babytrees]

Play Santa on the sly......The Salvation Army can't give specific information out.

ETA: If the family is that in need they will appreciate more than just the Salvation Army can give them. I am not knocking the SA....it just can't do it all. Could you ask neighborhood churches if this family is on their radar?? Our church gives to families in need in the community that don't go to our church.

 

[EthansMom]

I agree with other posters who said they'd just do something anonymously. For instance, purchase some gifts and put them in the mail with no return address listed.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Are you serious?? They make the needy families colunteer or they don't help them?? Wow- that is so wrong. Its not always possible for anyone-even a needy family to have 20 free hours to volunteer. Last year one of our families we helped had a dad with a brain tumor who was at home in bad shape and the mom worked 2 low paying jobs just to keep a roof over their heads....there was no time for either of them to do nonsense work at the school!! I work for a charity that helps children out- the school knows this and once they get wind of a needy family in school they will tell me (NOT the names of the people of course but just the sex and ages of kids and anything special the kids want- I happened to know the brain tumor dad family personally) and I will bring the nurse and social worker in the bags of toys and they will distribute them to the family in need- the teachers and staff then all chip in money and they buy the families whatever else they need.

Individual teachers adopt, and the vast majority of our school is free/reduced. We serve the largest subsidized housing complex in a four state area. Teachers are not exactly rich. I would love to help every family in our school who needs it, but we simply don't have the money. So many of our parents do not have jobs, and they live within walking distance of our school. It's not as bad as it sounds.

I got the impression they were willing to make an exception, but since we know their name has been submitted, we want to have those resources available for other families.

Please don't knock the school. It's hard to know until you are there everything that we do for our families. We are wrapping our canned food drive, all of which goes to families in our school. We adopt families for Christmas, making sure they have food, as well as needs and wants. We have a social worker just for our school, and she is always helping out families, putting them into contact with agencies and programs to help them. We have a counselor that gives free counseling to the entire family. Because we know so many parents won't/can't come to the school for parent teacher conferences, we drive out to their houses instead. I know it seems mean, but there is a limit to what we can do, and the program works well. It helps out the school, and gets the neighborhood involved.