HOW TO ADOPT AN ANGEL

There are many children on the Mississippi Gulf Coast who will not receive Christmas presents without the help and support of people like yourself.  Here at The Salvation Army, every child who needs Christmas assistance is called an Angel. When you visit a local retailer, you may choose an Angel to “adopt” and purchase new and unused presents to help make their Christmas a little brighter.  Every Angel has suggested gift ideas, but we also encourage you to be creative! Millions of children in America will go without Christmas gifts because their parents can’t afford them. Financial and emotional stress dampen the Christmas cheer of families living in poverty.

The Salvation Army Angel Tree program aims to give children in need, between the ages of 0-12 years, a Christmas they may not have otherwise. Anonymous donors adopt these little “angels” in an expanding Christmas tradition that makes the season brighter for both the gift giver and receiver.

If you or your group (organization, club, church, business) would like to sponsor an Angel Tree or adopt an Angel in your community, please contact your local Salvation Army.

Here are the simple steps to adopt an Angel:

1) Take an angel from the Angel Tree

2) Purchase gifts for that child. There are gift suggestions on the Angel provided by the parent, but you can also be creative and purchase items you think that child would enjoy!
3) Don’t wrap your gifts! Bundle all of your new and unwrapped gifts and return them to the business where you received your Angel or you may drop the gifts at any Salvation Army location.

4) Don’t forget to include your Angel code on the gifts! This way, we will know which child should receive the gifts.

5) You may include gift wrap and wrapping accessories with your gifts, but please do not wrap your gifts.

ANGEL TREE LOCATIONS

We would like to thank all of our business partners that helped distribute Angels!  Without your help, we would not have been able to help over 1,000 children on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

If you would like to have an Angel Tree for your business in Harrison or Hancock County, please call 228-374-8301. In George & Jackson Counties, please call 228-762-7222.

2022 Angel Tree Adoption Locations

Interested in being an adoption location please call Stacy Crandle at 228-206-1920. In George & Jackson Counties please call 228-762-7222.

Harrison County

2022 Locations

Super Walmart
9350 US HWY 49, Gulfport 39503

Harrison County School District
11072 HWY 49, Gulfport 39503

Edgewater Mall
2600 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39531

Walmart Pass Christian
1617 E Beach Blvd, Pass Christian, MS 39571

Perks Coffee
2501 14th St. Gulfport, MS 39501

Gulfport Premium
1000 Factory Shops Blvd., Gulfport 39501

Uncle Joe’s Pizza
16829 Kapalama Dr. Pass Christian

Courtyard Marriott
11471 Cinema Dr., D’Iberville, MS

Walmart Biloxi
2681 CT Switzer Dr., Biloxi, 39531

Walmart D’Iberville
3615 Sangani Blvd., D’Iberville 39540

Hancock County

2022 Locations

Walmart Waveland
460 HWY 90, Waveland, MS 39576

Peoples Bank Diamondhead Branch
5429 W. Aloha Dr., Diamondhead, MS 39525

People’s Bank Waveland
470 US 90 Waveland, MS 39576

Jackson County

2022 Locations

Central Appliance
HWY 90, Pascagoula

Merchants & Marine Bank
3118 Pascagoula St., Pascagoula

Walmart Ocean Springs
3911 Bienville Blvd, Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Walmart Pascagoula
4253 Denny Ave, Pascagoula, MS 39581

Stone County

2022 Locations

MS Gulf Coast Perkinson
51 Main St. Perkinston, MS 39573

Walmart Wiggins
1053 E Frontage Dr., Wiggins MS

Pearl County

2022 Locations Announced Soon

George County

2022 Locations

Timeless Designs
74 Allman St., Lucedale

REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR ANGEL TREE

2022  Angel Tree Registration

*Children should not be brought with you to registration.

REQUIREMENTS (Click here)

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Person applying must bring VALID State issued Photo ID
  2. A parent or Legal Guardian must apply for ONLY their own children. Guardianship/Custody
  3. Documentation required if you are not listed on Birth certificate
  4. State Issued Certified Birth Certificates for children 12 & under required. (no copies or hospital
    certificates)

DOCUMENTATION NEEDED (Click here)

The following is a list of proof of income and proof of expense that is required at the time of application for everyone in the household:

Income

  • Employment (All Members of household)
  • WIN Job center registration verification form
  • Tanif Award Letter
  • Utility Allowance
  • SNAP Award Letter
  • Disability Award Letter
  • Social Security Award Letter
  • Pension
  • Insurance
  • Child Support or DHS statement of non-support
  • SSI Award Letter
  • School Grants/Loans
  • Other Income
  • Section 8 Paperwork
  • Must present a notarized statement of any income help from anyone else

Rent

  • Utilities
  • Credit Cards
  • Gas Receipts
  • Water/Sewage
  • Grocery Receipts
  • Car Notes
  • Medical Bills Paying on
  • Cable (basic cable only)
  • Phone Bill (landline or cell)
  • Rental furniture payments
  • Loans & Other Bills
  • Bank Statement (if applicable)

*Current bills (1 month) only

Proof means you must bring all items needed at the time of application. If you do not have the items at the time of registration, you will not be able to register until you have all of the items.

Harrison, Stone, and Pearl River Counties

Harrison  County Registration

(This registration is also open to Stone and Pearl River County residents)

Gulfport Center of Hope

2019 22nd St.
Gulfport, MS 39501

For questions about our Angel Tree program, please contact Stacy Crandle 228-206-1920.

Stone and Pearl River Registration

Stone County Public Library

242 2nd St S

Wiggins, MS 39577

Dates: TBD

Please don’t forget, if you received Angel Tree assistance in 2020 or earlier, you are required to take three life skills courses to be eligible to receive Angel Tree assistance, again.

For more information call 228–374-8301, option 8.

Hancock County

At the Hancock Resource Center
454 Hwy 90, Ste. B, Waveland, MS

Please call 228-463-8887 for an Appointment, Walk-ins will be assisted based on availability.

Hancock County residents receive a list of classes to complete after they have registered for Angel Tree.

Jackson County

3217 Nathan Hale
Pascagoula, MS
Contact the Jackson County Offices at (228)762-7222 during normal business hours to receive your individual code to apply online and sign up for your life skills class.

English Life Skills Classes

Date: Times to be Announced
Time: Times to be Announced

Spanish Life Skills Classes

Date: Times to be Announced
Time: Times to be Announced

Life Skills class schedule will be distributed at registration.

Distribution day and appointment is given to parents in the life skills class.

George County

52 Virginia St, Lucedale, MS
Date:
Time:

For more information, call 601-766-3577

Toy Drives

In addition to adopting an Angel, you may also donate new toys that children of all ages would enjoy.  This way, should any children not receive many presents or not get adopted, we always have extra presents to help make their Christmas extra special. Plus, we always have emergency situations where a family needs help at the last minute.

If you would like to become a Toy Drive location, in Harrison or Hancock County, please call 228-374-8301. In Jackson County, please call 228-762-7222.

Give Back:

In many locations, The Salvation Army needs volunteers to help distribute the gifts along with food for holiday meals to the participating families. Oftentimes, employees and family members of the sponsoring organization help distribute their group’s gifts throughout their community. Sign up to volunteer.

We would like to thank all of our business partners that helped distribute Angels!  Without your help, we would not have been able to help over 1,000 children on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

History of the Angel Tree

The Angel Tree is a unique program that started in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1979. It involves the community in a direct way allowing them to become personally involved by sharing with those less fortunate in their community. The program provides gifts of new clothing and toys to thousands of children who otherwise might not have anything for Christmas.

Children who are recipients of Angel Tree gifts are from families who have applied for Christmas assistance through the Social Services program of The Salvation Army. During the application process, the clothing sizes and special needs of the children are determined and written on the application and is then transferred to paper “angels” along with the child’s first name, age, and sex.

The “angels” contain a code number which corresponds to the client’s application number. All children in a family have the same code number, followed by “A” for the first child, “B” for the second child, etc.

The angels are then taken to area shopping malls and various local retailers and businesses where they are selected by shoppers who then purchase any or all of the items listed. After purchasing these items, the gifts are returned to the Angel Tree distribution centers.

Each Angel Tree family is given an appointment date and time to come back and receive their gifts for the children or “Angels”. It is not based on a first-come, first-serve basis. The items that were carefully and lovingly selected and purchased for each child is what the child will receive.