Are Angel Trees real?

[libraryfreak]

Does anybody think that the names on the trees are generic? That is, the agency will take the gifts and divvy them up later to kids? What if Suzy's name never gets picked but her brother and sisters names are? Does the agency then tell her, "Sorry Suzy, maybe next year."

Thats what makes me think the agency uses the donations to distribute evenly.

 

[dakcp2001]

I am extremely jaded, I used to work with a deadbeat woman who would hit up every charity in the area with sob stories and then after the holidays she would return everything she had collected for store credit at Target & Walmart. I know her family members did this as well. Someone called the police & the charity and nothing was done, since it wasnt technically stealing.I thought they should throw the book at her. This lady probably still does it. We dont donate to angel trees, we now donate to Give Kids the World and St Jude. We also have a group from back home that makes "warm
baskets for elderly on heating assistance. They get warm pjs bathrobes and blankets, hats, mittens, scarves & sweatsuits and that seems legit.

I know it is sad but I just lost my trust after that. I hope they do what you say and all the children get appropraite gifts. Its sad when a bad apple ruins the bunch.

 

[dislaney]

Does anybody think that the names on the trees are generic? That is, the agency will take the gifts and divvy them up later to kids? What if Suzy's name never gets picked but her brother and sisters names are? Does the agency then tell her, "Sorry Suzy, maybe next year."

Thats what makes me think the agency uses the donations to distribute evenly.

This is what I was told.

 

[klj27]

Our Church does an Angel Tree each year and the 8th grade girl scouts are responsible for it. Last year was our year to organize the event (I only helped that day so I don't have all the info.) Our trees went to many different organizations: a pregnancy center (which would ask for generic items to stock their shelves), senior home (generic items for elderly), a school (every boy in the school gets a truck and every girl gets a baby doll), and agencies where people asked to be placed on the tree. Those gifts would be specific for the child. It was quite an ordeal especially because every single ornament that was taken off of the tree had to be accounted for with a gift two weeks later. Generic ornaments were intentionally placed on the tree to account for those who didn't turn in a gift for a specific person.

I guess I am saying that yes, they are real, but also that I don't donate to them anymore.......

 

[Belle0101]

Isn't everything anonymous too?

Reason I ask is my sister claims that she picked from an Angel Tree one year. She got a family - mom, son and daughter.

She says that after Christmas she received a letter and picture from the mon, via the Angel Tree agency, thanking her for the gifts. The mom said that it was the best Christmas they ever had. The picture was of the kids in front of their tree with their wrapped gifts on Christmas morning.

 

[simba928]

I have no idea how it works with the kid Angel Trees, but I work at a shelter and we have one for our animals this year. You can either choose a particular animal (the animals are all animals that are available for adoption at the shelter, though some may be adopted between when their ornament goes up and when someone chooses that ornament) or choose a general list of things (For example, "Dog Supply" ornaments list things like dog food, treats, dog toys and "Office Supply" ornaments list various office supplies we need). The items you purchase for a particular animal may not go to that particular animal. That animal may have been adopted or they may still be there on Christmas. All of the donations (with the exception of food and treats) will be passed out to the animals on Christmas Day. All the animals will receive an equal number of toys and hopefully all the dogs will get a new bed. If you bring 2 toys that you chose for a dog on the tree, we may give one of those toys to that dog and one to another just to make sure they all have an equal number of toys and a toy suitable to what they need (we aren't going to give a stuffed animal to our long-time almost-resident pit bull, Petey, who has been with us for 4 months, and we aren't going to give a giant Kong to our little tiny yorkie/poodle/chihuahua mix).

 

[RitaE]

Some of them are just generic names and wishlists generated from an approved list of gifts.

Like if you look at the tree you'll see every 4th boy who is 9 years old wants the exact same 4 things. Those types I think they just collect everything they can and then try to divide it up and serve as many kids as they can.

Others are name/match specific. Even those however will put generic tags out there and try to collect cash donations to try and get something for kids whose tags don't get picked up.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I am extremely jaded, I used to work with a deadbeat woman who would hit up every charity in the area with sob stories and then after the holidays she would return everything she had collected for store credit at Target & Walmart. I know her family members did this as well. Someone called the police & the charity and nothing was done, since it wasnt technically stealing.I thought they should throw the book at her. This lady probably still does it. We dont donate to angel trees, we now donate to Give Kids the World and St Jude. We also have a group from back home that makes "warm
baskets for elderly on heating assistance. They get warm pjs bathrobes and blankets, hats, mittens, scarves & sweatsuits and that seems legit.

I know it is sad but I just lost my trust after that. I hope they do what you say and all the children get appropraite gifts. Its sad when a bad apple ruins the bunch.

i know what you mean i've known several families that do similar things, some make more $ than I do. they scam everything from government, angel trees, the power co for free power for 1 month of the year(not sure how this works but they do it), to the free holiday meals that some local churches deliver. i knew a girl that 1 time had donation boxes set up at different churchs around town even got a car from 1 of them. she ate out 3 times a day and shopped like things were going out of style, but swore up and down she couldn't afford food for her or her family. come to find she was also spending their money sneaking around on her husband.

 

[luvsJack]

If you are asking about the Salvation Army Angel Tree, just go to jcpenney.com and read the FAQ about the tree. Or the SA site. It says that some are actual children and some are not. They used to take wrapped gifts and the exact gifts were given to the child that they were labeled for. Now they ask for unwrapped and they do distribute things more evenly.

 

[momx2]

Isn't everything anonymous too?

Reason I ask is my sister claims that she picked from an Angel Tree one year. She got a family - mom, son and daughter.

She says that after Christmas she received a letter and picture from the mon, via the Angel Tree agency, thanking her for the gifts. The mom said that it was the best Christmas they ever had. The picture was of the kids in front of their tree with their wrapped gifts on Christmas morning.

Not all Angel Trees are anonymous. I have done it 2x. Each time through church. The first time, we picked a family and were to deliver the gifts. I bought the gifts and went to deliver and the residence was deserted.

This year, we pick a family, make contact with the family to verify what is needed/wanted, deliver to the family and go to a church sponsored party with the family. It was great! So your sister may have chosen her Angel from a situation like ours.

 

[marcyinPA]

Our church does a giving tree. We receive names/ages/gift suggestions from local agencies that we've partnered with on a long-term basis. We pick a tag off a tree, buy the gifts, wrap them, bring them to the church, and then Giving Tree volunteers distribute the gifts to the agencies.

Every year, EVERY SINGLE tag is taken by church members. There is never, ever a leftover tag. In fact, it is known in our church that you need to pick your tag on the first day that the tree is available if you want to participate, because if you snooze, you lose!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Not all Angel Trees are anonymous. I have done it 2x. Each time through church. The first time, we picked a family and were to deliver the gifts.

Last year my friend was down on her luck and did her churches angel tree. The family who picked her was wonderful when we met them. At our church, that was one of the conditions, that the family who picked you got to meet you.

 

[bicker]

The details provided for each child on our "Undecorate The Tree" are too consistent to be fabricated.

 

[taximomfor4]

At least around here, some of the Angel Trees have real kids on them. I know because a family member and her best friend both went around and put their kids (one child each) on a bunch of trees at different places.

BTW, both of them bought their kids presents that year, they just felt that other peoples' kids were getting "more."

 

[golfgal]

Not every Angel tree is done by the same organization so they don't all work the same. After many years of working with a Christmas Charity, yes, there are a few families that do scam everything but MOST of the people really do need some help. In the charity we worked with the families came and picked up the gifts and food we gave out so we saw the families and being in a smaller town, you knew quite a few of them as well.

 

[allison443]

Not every Angel tree is done by the same organization so they don't all work the same. After many years of working with a Christmas Charity, yes, there are a few families that do scam everything but MOST of the people really do need some help. In the charity we worked with the families came and picked up the gifts and food we gave out so we saw the families and being in a smaller town, you knew quite a few of them as well.

This is exactly what I was going to say...there is no one answer to the OP's question because there is no single "Angel Tree" organization that runs every Angel Tree all over the country. I wonder if OP thought that was the case.

Obviously some trees have real kids listed, others list generic items they would like.

Based on the other other thread about Angel Trees, I think people need to check out a few trees or organizations in their area to find one that is consistent with what they want to do. Our church absolutely uses real people, also no one asks for x-boxes and ipods! There are tags for children, disabled adults, senior citizens, teens. They list one item. You could also contact the church to adopt a family if you like.

I am happy to say that every tag was taken off the tree. People were extremely generous and gave more than was even requested.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

My church has done the Angel Tree for years. They only take 20-30 angels for the entire congregation. We've never had any trouble with it. It has been my personal Christmas tradition since I started my first job.

 

[browneyes106]

Not every Angel tree is done by the same organization so they don't all work the same. After many years of working with a Christmas Charity, yes, there are a few families that do scam everything but MOST of the people really do need some help. In the charity we worked with the families came and picked up the gifts and food we gave out so we saw the families and being in a smaller town, you knew quite a few of them as well.

This is exactly what I was going to say...there is no one answer to the OP's question because there is no single "Angel Tree" organization that runs every Angel Tree all over the country. I wonder if OP thought that was the case.

Obviously some trees have real kids listed, others list generic items they would like.

Based on the other other thread about Angel Trees, I think people need to check out a few trees or organizations in their area to find one that is consistent with what they want to do. Our church absolutely uses real people, also no one asks for x-boxes and ipods! There are tags for children, disabled adults, senior citizens, teens. They list one item. You could also contact the church to adopt a family if you like.

I am happy to say that every tag was taken off the tree. People were extremely generous and gave more than was even requested.

I was going to post similar that both of you posted. Angel Tree or gift trees are often run and sponsored by different organizations as both of you mentioned. In my area there are some Angel Tree programs that focus solely on women and children living in domestic violence or homeless shelters. My aunt is on the advisory board for one shelter and a local clothing store collects Angel Tree gifts for the shelter. While a local grocery store has a coloring book and crayons collection drive when collects those items so the kids living in the shelter will receive stockings stuffed with those items.

I think Angel Trees that are focused on people living in shelters are probably the best ones to donate to because often the people in the shelters don't ask for expensive electronics or clothing.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Angel Tree or gift trees are often run and sponsored by different organizations...

Yep, there is no national "Angel Tree" agency, so there is no standard procedure.

I am a social worker. I work with families that apply for our local Angel Tree (and they don't apply if they don't need it, because we as the family's "worker" know who does and who doesn't need help,) deliver the gifts to the families, and volunteer with the organization as a thank you (not just me, my entire program volunteers.) In my city the kid's names are real and the gifts bought for that child are given to that child. Any extra gifts that a person buys for that child will be given to that child as well. If one of the child's wishes was not bought (each child has 4 wishes) the Angel Tree organization will go out and purchase the wish. Angel Tree has 2 stations set up at our local mall with volunteers that offer gift wrapping for donations. Those donations are used, in part, to purchase the wishes that were not bought by the community.

Also, in our city the major gift giving organizations collaborate/communicate with each other to ensure parents aren't "double dipping" by applying for more than 1 gift program.

 

[MrsPete]

Does anybody think that the names on the trees are generic? That is, the agency will take the gifts and divvy them up later to kids? What if Suzy's name never gets picked but her brother and sisters names are? Does the agency then tell her, "Sorry Suzy, maybe next year."

Thats what makes me think the agency uses the donations to distribute evenly.

I've wondered about that. I've also wondered about what happens if -- within the same family -- the brother's name is taken by a generous family who buys him an X-box with all the trimmings, while the sister's name is taken by someone of moderate means who provide only a dollar-store Barbie and a couple trinkets.