Salvation Army Angel Tree makes Christmas for some families
By Lisa DeNeal Post-Tribune correspondent December 17, 2011 3:24PM
Volunteer Ja-Michan Weems carries wrapped Christmas gifts for the good will receipients from the Salvation Army on Saturday Dec 17, 2011 in Gary. | Jim Karczewski~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 19, 2012 11:10AM
GARY — The annual Salvation Army Angel Tree program was right on time Saturday for many of the families inside the Salvation Army office at 4800 Harrison St.
This was pick-up day for those families who applied in September to receive gifts for children 12 years old and younger through the Angel Tree program a week before Christmas. Many waited with identification in their hands as volunteers headed to the gymnasium to retrieve anything from one gift-wrapped box to a pile of gifts in bags and boxes. There was even an occasional bicycle or two to go along with families’ requests for clothes, shoes and more.
“The families come and get a ticket in September, then return in October with documents of household income, children’s information and other things in order to qualify,” Angel Tree coordinator Daisy Irizarry said. “This year we are helping 1,950 families, which is lower than last year’s number of 3,000.”
The “angels” behind providing gifts for the children are area companies and corporations, including U.S. Steel, Methodist Hospitals, Direct Buy, Walmart, NIPSCO, First Presbyterian Church, Mike Anderson Chevrolet, Pinnacle Hospital, The Super Bowl, The Village Shopping Center, St. Mary Catholic Community School, Lake County Clerk’s Office, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Social Security Administration, Gary South Shore Railcats.
Kelly Bargiel of Gary said this was her first time being a recipient of the Angel Tree Program and the gifts will be for two of her three children.
“I worked at Broadway Cafe restaurant until Halloween of last year when it closed. I am going to school and looking for a job and my husband does seasonal work so he is unemployed right now. This helps a lot to have presents for our 4-year-old and 9-year-old, I have to find gifts for our 15-year-old now,” she said.
Lonay Cunningham of Gary received a huge load of gifts for her 3-year-old twins, a 2-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. “I’ve been out of work for three months as a home health aide/certified nurse assistant, so this helps me out a great deal,” she said.
Sakieya Dixon of Gary said this was her second year as an Angel Tree recipient. She became emotional when one specific gift for one of her children was brought out by a volunteer.
“I have four children but only three qualified for the program. This year the program is truly a blessing because of finances and not being able to work. I am going to school and I hope things get better. But without the Angel Program and the Salvation Army I don’t know what we could have done for Christmas,” she said.
Irizarry said the Angel Tree program is more than 40 years old and she’s been with the program for 38 years.
“The best thing about this program is sometimes recipients return here and become Angel Tree providers. We had one woman who was helped years ago and she and her daughters bought gifts for 12 families. That says a lot,” Irizarry said.
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