Christmas in crisis
Local charities hurting during the holidays
Matt Watson
Issue date: 12/8/08 Section: News
On the walk through the Northwest Arkansas Mall, there are floor-to-ceiling advertisements for holiday sales. Just like every other year, garland hangs from the ceiling, and wreaths decorate the food court. It's the familiar feel of commercial Christmas.
In the middle of the decked halls of the mall stands a Christmas tree - not a Rockefeller Center-esque evergreen by any means, but a tree of modest dimensions. It lacks bright lights or crafty ornaments. But this tree isn't for looks, and it doesn't need much decoration to spread the Christmas spirit.
The Salvation Army's Angel Tree has provided presents for underprivileged children each holiday season since 1979. Each year Christmas trees are placed in shopping malls and grocery stores, with tags hanging from the trees listing children's names, ages and gift ideas. Passersby are encouraged to pick an angel from the tree, buy the child gifts and return them to the tree so that the Salvation Army can give the presents to the child's family in time for Christmas morning.
But in 2008, there are more angels than secret Santas. Like many charities across the country, the Salvation Army is struggling to meet the needs of increasingly needy communities. On Friday, less than a week before the gifts will be delivered, the Angel Tree had only collected presents for one-fourth of the angels on the tree. Northwest Arkansas had more applicants for the Angel Tree this year than ever before, but there haven't been near as many donors. The national economy is the new Grinch stealing Christmas.
"Look at the working poor. There's a lot of people out there that work hard and have good jobs but at minimum wage, or close to it, when you finish paying your rent, and utilities, and those things, then there isn't anything left," said Virginia Watts, the Salvation Army coordinator of the Angel Tree in northwest Arkansas. "Those are the people we're here to help. They're just trying to make it, and right now it's a little harder than usual."
In the middle of the decked halls of the mall stands a Christmas tree - not a Rockefeller Center-esque evergreen by any means, but a tree of modest dimensions. It lacks bright lights or crafty ornaments. But this tree isn't for looks, and it doesn't need much decoration to spread the Christmas spirit.
The Salvation Army's Angel Tree has provided presents for underprivileged children each holiday season since 1979. Each year Christmas trees are placed in shopping malls and grocery stores, with tags hanging from the trees listing children's names, ages and gift ideas. Passersby are encouraged to pick an angel from the tree, buy the child gifts and return them to the tree so that the Salvation Army can give the presents to the child's family in time for Christmas morning.
But in 2008, there are more angels than secret Santas. Like many charities across the country, the Salvation Army is struggling to meet the needs of increasingly needy communities. On Friday, less than a week before the gifts will be delivered, the Angel Tree had only collected presents for one-fourth of the angels on the tree. Northwest Arkansas had more applicants for the Angel Tree this year than ever before, but there haven't been near as many donors. The national economy is the new Grinch stealing Christmas.
"Look at the working poor. There's a lot of people out there that work hard and have good jobs but at minimum wage, or close to it, when you finish paying your rent, and utilities, and those things, then there isn't anything left," said Virginia Watts, the Salvation Army coordinator of the Angel Tree in northwest Arkansas. "Those are the people we're here to help. They're just trying to make it, and right now it's a little harder than usual."
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