Participating families shop for gifts at the annual Angel Tree Store on Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church as part of the Christmas Angels program. The program, organized by the United Way of Johnson County, provides gifts for children of families in need throughout the county. RYAN TRARES | DAILY JOURNAL
Dolls, trucks, LEGOs and more covered every inch of tables set up inside Grace United Methodist Church on Wednesday.
NERF toys and board games and basketballs were spread out, waiting to go to an excited boy or girl this holiday season. A whole side of the room was devoted to dolls of all kinds.
Browsing from table to table, Brittany Beasley had come to the annual Angel Tree Store to get gifts for her four children, ranging in age from 11 to 17. Without the generosity of the program, the Whiteland resident is not sure how she’d give her kids a Christmas this year.
“It’s just really hard right now,” she said. “We’re able to pay our rent and have food in the ‘fridge, and that’s what important. But we can’t really afford all of this.”
More than 2,700 children will have a happier holiday this year thanks to Christmas Angels and the Angel Tree Store. The community stepped forward to sponsor nearly 400 families through the program, with those who weren’t sponsored able to come to the Christmas Angels store to pick out items donated by the public.
Organized through the United Way of Johnson County, the program served nearly 29% more children this year than in 2022 — a testament to the giving nature of local residents, said Nancy Lohr Plake, executive director of the United Way of Johnson County.
“For the United Way, working with so many partners and collaborators, it’s really heartwarming, with all of the chaos in our world, how the community comes together,” she said.
The Christmas Angels program is designed to provide gifts for Johnson County children — newborn to 17 years old — who would otherwise not have Christmas gifts. Sponsors had the option to buy gifts for an entire family, or donate toys and other items.
Children who did not receive a sponsor are typically invited to come to the Angel Tree Store in mid-December to pick out gifts for the holidays.
“So many of our families, this time of year, they have to choose between getting something for their families vs. rent, utilities, food,” Plake said. “They’re struggling.”
A surge of community support drove this year’s program, with people sponsoring 1,051 children while another 134 families — comprising 334 children — were invited to the Angel Tree Store.
“Our sponsors came through,” Plake said. “We made a plea, and they came through.”
Partnering with county schools, the United Way also helped serve another 1,366 children this year, Plake said. In total, 2,751 were provided Christmas gifts — up from 2,139 last year.
On Wednesday and Thursday, participating families came to Grace United Methodist Church to pick out gifts. Each family was matched by a volunteer “shopping assistant,” who helped guide them from table to table and help them get the right number of gifts for the kids on their lists.
Children of different ages qualified for different numbers and types of gifts. All kids received stocking stuffers, a book and stuffed animal and bundle of socks and underwear, or mittens, a hat or scarf.
Teenagers received gift cards to different stores and local restaurants, and Franklin Parks and Recreation donated pool passes to give out while the Apple Works distributed live trees, Plake said.
Beasley was shopping for technology-related items related for her four sons, as they have an interest in computer-related activities such as coding. Items for outdoor activities such as skateboarding were also on her list.
For families such as hers, the Christmas Angels program is a massive relief. Trying to buy gifts for her four teenage sons would be incredibly difficult without help from the community.
She is forever grateful for people continuing to support the program.
“It means so much, just to be able to give (my kids) something for Christmas,” she said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Christmas Angels
2023
Children served: 2,751
Families served: 1,042
2022
Children served: 2,139
Families served: 822
2021
Children served: 2,287
Families served: 859
2020
Children served: 2,270
Families served: 860
2019
Children served: 2,132
Families served: 846
Source: United Way of Johnson County
