A Franklin single mother came to the United Way Christmas Angels program this week to select gifts for her four children.
The invitation to the program, and “store,” meant that the children of Crystal Gonzalez would have Christmas presents under the the tree this year.
“I don’t have help from anybody else, so this is everything,” said Gonzalez, who had not been to the Christmas Angels store before. “It gives them Christmas.”
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For more than a decade, United Way of Johnson County has helped ensure children have presents under the tree with the Christmas Angels. On Tuesday morning, 151 families lined up inside Grace United Methodist Church to pick out gifts for their children.
Families can choose three to five gifts per child along with a clothing item, movie, book, board game and stuffed animal. They can choose from dozens of toys, games, bikes and clothes that are donated each year.
Additional families are sponsored through United Way by businesses or individuals who go out and purchase gifts for them. In total, the Christmas Angel Tree program will help about 1,500 children and more than 500 families this year. Others come to the store, by invitation only.
For 10 years, Ashley Fergason has found Christmas presents for her four children at the United Way Christmas Angels Shop. With going through a divorce and living with her mom, the shop has been even more helpful this year, she said.
“It’s a blessing, it really is, that we live in such a close community that they help like this every year,” she said.
Fergason was happy to find items she knows her kids will love. She found Monster High toys for her daughter, which she said she always asks for, and a large stuffed dinosaur for her 7-year-old. The dinosaur, she said, is going to be hard to hide from her kids.
“They always have great stuff here,” Fergason said.
Whiteland resident Brittany Smith and her father George Smith found two bikes for her children. This is her second year attending and she said it takes a huge load off her shoulders knowing her kids have presents.
“It’s a blessing,” she said. “It’s tough to shop for three kids on one check.”
Brandy Afflas of Greenwood picked out a lot of dinosaurs and race tracks for her two sons. Attending this event helps her family a lot, she said.
“Without it, my kids wouldn’t have Christmas,” Afflas said.
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Here is a look at the families and children helped through United Way’s Christmas Angel Tree programs.
Families invited to the Christmas Angel Tree Store
2018: 151 families; 357 children
2017: 185 families; 471 children
Children sponsored
2018: 1,166
2017: 1,143
Total children served
2018: 1,523
2017: 1,576
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