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The Salvation Army provides food, clothes, toys, gifts and more to 30,000+ individuals annually through the Christmas Assistance Program. More than a programs, partnerships and fundraising activities support this effort including:
The Salvation Army Angel Tree program, in partnership with NBC 12, makes available to the community thousands of angels to adopt. Each angel represents an under-privileged child who without the support of the community would not have a Christmas. Members of the community choose angels from trees displayed at area malls and corporations. These donors adopt the angels by providing new clothing and gifts for their Christmas. Close to 14,000 children were given toys, clothing and other gifts through this program in 2008.
The Army's stocking program, now sponsored by FOX Richmond, Fox Holiday Socks, has provided filled stockings for children in Richmond for 35 years. Sponsored by FOX Richmond, members of the community are encouraged to pick up empty stockings from the Army and fill them with toys for the children. More than 12,000 socks were stuffed and filled in 2008.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch Christmas Mother Fund raises money to provide needy children with gifts and toys. Each year an individual is selected from the community to represent the newspaper as the Richmond Christmas Mother. Donations are collected in her name and given to The Salvation Army for the purchase of food and toys for needy children.
The Red Kettle Drive supports the social service programs of The Salvation Army throughout the year. Individuals and community groups volunteer to ring bells at various kettle locations in the area. Visitors are invited to drop a donation into the kettle.
The Silver Bells program is similar to the Angel Tree program; senior citizens in designated nursing homes are adopted as Silver Bells to residents in the community. They provide gifts and supplies to these seniors who may not have a Christmas otherwise. In 2008, The Salvation Army Richmond Area Command assisted over 750 Seniors and Special Needs Individuals!
The WRVA Salvation Army/Alden Aaroe Shoe Fund raises funds to provide new shoes to needy children. Parents of children registered to receive assistance are provided with vouchers from The Salvation Army to use for purchasing shoes at participating stores. More than 800 children were assisted with back-to-school items, clothing and shoes this fall.
Coats for Kids, sponsored by Puritan Cleaners, collects donated new or used winter coats through Puritan Cleaners outlet throughout the holiday season. Puritan cleans and repairs the coats at no cost and delivers them to The Salvation Army to be given to needy families. The program, which began in 1988, has raised nearly 232,000 coats for under-privileged families over the last ten plus years. In 2008, more than 16,000 coats were donated to this program.
In 2007, ESPN 950, Home Team Grill and Disco Sports joined together to start Holiday Cheer and Gear - a program that will collect new sporting goods to benefit The Salvation Army. New footballs, basketballs, baseballs, bats, gloves, soccer balls and skate boards, among other items, are collected each Christmas season and distributed by The Salvation Army to tweens and teens during the holidays.
The Salvation Army also distributes toys raised through the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.