Angel Tree Program Serves 10,000 Children Across Southwest Florida This Holiday Season

The Salvation Army distributed 3,000 angel tags in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, and Bonita Springs this year. That's 5% more than last year. Through various sites, the program will reach 10,000 kids across Southwest Florida.

Each tag shows a child who needs help. It lists their name, age, clothing sizes, and what they want for Christmas. Donors purchase new clothing and toys that match these lists. Families retrieve their angel bags between December 15 and 18 at the assigned pickup locations.

Volunteers at the Fort Myers warehouse organize donations by family. During pickup days, they hand out about 50 bags every hour. This warehouse serves 3,000 kids. A different room stores items for Bonita Springs families.

Lu-Ann Ishmael has worked with the program for four years as a volunteer. On Black Friday, she brought her granddaughters shopping for her three angels this year.

"I've had people cry on me. I hug them. It's really, really rewarding," said Ishmael, according to Fox 4 Now. "These people are so grateful."

The requests stretch past toys. Kids ask for beds, toiletries, clothes, and shoes. Ishmael's three angels this year want bikes, Barbies, big trucks, and an Elf on the Shelf.

"There's always somebody asking for a bed, a lot of toiletries," Ishmael said. "The girls ask for a lot of toiletries, things that you wouldn't think kids would be asking for, that we take for granted automatically."

The group still needs volunteers for the program's final stretch. Community members can help by stopping at the main office to grab a tag from the tree or by signing up online. Purchased gifts should arrive at the toy drive site on Route 41 in Fort Myers for distribution.

The Angel Tree program runs as a national effort. It helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children across the country each year.