Q. My husband was recently injured in an accident and is out of work. How can we apply to have our children's names listed on an "angel tree" to receive gifts this Christmas? -- C.C.
A. Last year, the Salvation Army distributed almost 18,000 toys and more than 3,000 Christmas food boxes to 3,366 families needing assistance in Forsyth and Yadkin counties. The Salvation Army may share information about families in need with other groups that set up angel trees to avoid duplication of services. However, the organization's official sign-up period to get help this year has already passed.
You still might be able to get help, however, according to Phil Cabuzzi, the Salvation Army's gifts-in-kind coordinator.
"We'll always try to consider the extreme cases," he said. Call 723-6366, ext. 113.
Other agencies provide holiday assistance for families already in their programs for other reasons. For example, the Family and Children Services Division of the Department of Social Services assists children in foster care and families in its Relatives as Parents Program with donations from the public.
Clients of other Social Services programs are referred to community programs that assist with holiday giving. But the agency does not play a role in assisting other families from the general public with holiday gifts.
While other charitable organizations, civic groups, companies and churches often provide holiday assistance to those in need, SAM did not find another centralized effort to match needy children who are not already being served with those wishing to contribute gifts.
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