With the holidays approaching, The Salvation Army is launching its annual Angel Tree program, stepping up efforts to reach more children and help families facing financial strain.

The nationwide program operates in communities across the country, calling on neighbors to come together to provide new clothing and toys for youth. Wrangell Capt. Chase Green explained that the mission focuses on easing seasonal pressures while ensuring every child experiences the cheer and celebration of the holidays.

“Christmas can be very cumbersome financially on a lot of families, and the Angel Tree is developed so that we can lighten that burden,” he said. “It’s a way really just to love on the kids in our community.”

To participate, donors select ornamental paper tags hung from Christmas trees at designated public sites. Starting this week, Angel Trees will be on display at First Bank, the public library — a new location this year — and The Salvation Army.

Each tag represents a child and lists practical details, including clothing sizes and personal holiday wish lists. According to Green, in order to safeguard privacy in a close-knit town where families know one another, organizers do not display names. Instead, tags indicate only a child’s gender and age.

Once a tag is selected, participants can purchase the requested items and return the gifts to The Salvation Army or drop them off where they initially picked up the tag.

For donors seeking convenience or living elsewhere, an Amazon online registry offers another way to take part. Shoppers can  place their order, which are then shipped directly to The Salvation Army.

Green noted that while receiving presents is not the most important aspect of the holiday season, the gesture carries significant emotional weight for households facing difficult times.

“For some of the families that we work with, those are the only things they open up on Christmas,” he said. “It makes it all worth it when you see how loved those kids feel.”

According to Green, the program operates discreetly so that parents can enjoy a meaningful holiday morning at home. Gifts are delivered without an expectation that children know where the items came from, allowing families to celebrate together without feeling indebted to outside organizations or donors.

Registration for families seeking assistance softly closes Nov. 10 as staff work to finalize counts and organize donations. All collected gifts will be distributed to participating families Dec. 18, giving parents a full week to prepare before Christmas morning.