Angel Tree
What:Â Angel Tree is a seasonal opportunity to assist under-resourced families during the holidays. Seniors and families, identified by Social Services and local schools, are asked to create gift wish lists. Members of our congregation sign up to purchase, wrap, and return the gifts by mid-December. There is also an opportunity to sponsor a food box for each family or senior. Volunteer shoppers are needed to purchase the items for the food boxes.
Age Restriction: None
What To Bring: Varies
Where:Â Ebenezer United Methodist Church
Time Commitment:Â mid-November through mid-December
Angel Tree is one of Ebenezer’s most popular outreach ministries. Because of your generosity, we continue to increase the number of families we serve each year.
Here’s how you can help:
Purchase a Gift
Sign up to purchase gifts for children and seniors from our online SignUp Genius wish list. Wrapped gifts are due back to church on Sunday, December 10. To sign up to donate, please use the button below.
Sponsor a Family Food Box
Angel Tree families and seniors will each receive a food box, including the makings for a holiday dinner, but you won’t have to do the shopping! Simply sponsor a family with a one-week ($30) or two-week ($60) food box. Our volunteer elves will do the rest! With your monetary donations for the food boxes, we are able to provide many more meals than in the past by purchasing and shopping in bulk.
Volunteer to Help Shop, Assemble & Distribute Gifts and Food Boxes
We will need many helping hands to shop for food, sort and assemble food boxes, receive gifts as they are brought to church, and distribute gifts to representatives from local schools and social service agencies. Please sign up to volunteer using the buttons below.
Thank you for helping make this a special Christmas for our neighbors.
Did you know…
The Angel Tree is one of Ebenezer Church’s longest-standing ministries, but did you know…
- The Angel Tree program as it exists today grew out of a successful United Methodist Women’s ministry
- Through our partnership with Social Services, we are one of a few organizations that requests wish lists for large families (five or more people)
- Angel Tree ministry provides gifts to children and senior citizens
- Each child on the list requests 2 gifts; one toy and one article of clothing
- Each senior citizen requests 2 gifts
- Every family referred from Social Services and each senior on our Angel Tree list receives a food box with the makings for a holiday dinner
- Small groups can adopt a family
- We support families referred from Social Services, McKendree Manor senior apartments, and local schools. Additionally, we provide gifts for S.E.R.V.E.’s teen gift program.
- Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve received skateboards wrapped with the wheels exposed and a lacrosse stick wrapped, well…in the shape of a lacrosse stick. It’s fun to shop for unique requests.
Gift Suggestions
You may find these suggestions helpful if your Angel Tree request is for an age-appropriate toy. If your Angel has a specific request, please purchase that item.