ORLANDO, Fla. – The Salvation Army of Orlando on Friday is kicking off its annual Angel Tree program.
This year, the organization is asking to get results for 5,000 children and 1,000 seniors so that they all have something under the Christmas tree this year.
“Angel Tree is to bring hope to people who lost their hope,” Capt. Ken Chapman said.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
At the Salvation Army headquarters in Orlando, work for the program began in the summer with families who started to submit their applications.
“We start Christmas preparations in June, even with News 6 we have meetings and we plan all through that time,” Chapman explained.
Each year, apart from toys and other items, the Salvation Army donates a full stocking full of other small gifts to each child and senior as part of the program, though the real work comes from News 6 viewers when they adopt an angel.
“I have these tags at Mall at Millenia, and there’s a big tree and a lot of the Chick-fil-As in Central Florida will have these and you go and take a tag, and on the tag, it’s listed if it’s a girl or a boy, their age, their sizes, and a few toys that they would like,” Chapman said.
News 6 met some of the angels during a food box distribution earlier this month.
Michell Smith said this is her first time participating in the program in an effort to get Christmas gifts for her six children.
“That’s really a blessing because I don’t know what I’d be doing,” Smith said.
Here are the participating Chick-fil-A locations:
- Universal Blvd - 9500 McKenna Drive Orlando, FL 32819
- Millenia FSU - 4181 Millenia Blvd. Orlando, FL 32839
- Ocoee - 10620 West Colonial Drive Ocoee, FL 34761
- Winter Garden - 3166 Daniels Road Winter Garden, FL 34787
- Black Lake Road - 7891 Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee, FL 34747
- Sanford - 4590 W. State Road 46 Sanford, FL 32771
- Altamonte Mall - 451 Altamonte Drive Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
- Hancock Road & Hwy 50 FSU - 2585 E. Highway 50 Clermont, FL 34711
- Hammock Ridge & Hwy 27 - 3365 Hammock Ridge Road Clermont, FL 34711
- Orlando Avenue at Fairbanks - 700 South Orlando Ave. Winter Park, FL32789
- Lee Vista - 6350 S. Semoran Blvd. Orlando, FL 32822
- Oviedo FSU - 32 E Mitchell Hammock Road Oviedo, FL 32765
- Hamlin - 15899 New Independence Parkway Winter Garden, FL 34747
- Four Corners FSU - 644 US Highway 27 Clermont, FL 34714
- Lake Buena Vista - 13448 S. Apopka-Vineland Drive Orlando, FL 32821
- Vineland Point - 11709 Daryl Carter Parkway Orlando, FL 32821
- Hunt Club - 3050 E. Semoran Blvd. Apopka, FL 32703
- Kirkman & Conroy - 4752 S. Kirkman Road Orlando, FL 32811
- Sand Lake Road - 7333 W. Sand Lake Road Orlando, FL 32819
- Celebration - 6050 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee, FL 34747
- Tuskawilla Road - 1454 Tuskawilla Road Winter Springs, FL 32708
- University at Forsyth - 3391 University Blvd. Winter Park, FL 32792
- Florida Hotel - 1500 Sand Lake Road Orlando, FL 32809
- Southchase Plaza - 13085 S. Orange Blossom Trail Orlando, FL 32837
- The Loop - 3286 N. John Young Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34741
- Casselberry - 80 Oxford Road Fern Park, FL 32730
- Kissimmee - 4450 West Vine Street Kissimmee, FL 34746
- The Mall at Millenia- 4200 Conroy Road Ste. 245 Orlando, FL 32389
- Colonial Plaza Market Center - 2448 East Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32803
- Mt. Dora - 17240 U.S. Highway 441 Mount Dora, FL 32757
- Orlando Square - 1800 Sand Lake Road Orlando, FL 32809
- Nona - 12801 Narcoossee Road Orlando, FL 32832
- Lake Mary Blvd. - 4420 West Lake Mary Blvd. Lake Mary, FL 32746
- University at Rouse - 11350 University Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817
- Orange Avenue - 2885 S. Orange Ave Orlando, FL 32806
- Waterford Lakes - 633 North Alafaya Trail Orlando, FL 32828
- St. Cloud - 4360 13th Street St. Cloud, FL 34769
- Altamonte Springs FSU - 234 W State Road 436 Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
- Maitland Blvd. - 8673 Summit Centre Way Orlando, FL 32810
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: