While shopping at Walmart or Kmart, you may notice some Christmas trees in the front with little paper angels on them. If you take a closer look, you will see that there is a description of a local child in need on each angel, as well as a gift idea and clothing sizes. These “angel trees” are part of the Phelps County Advocacy Network (PCCAN) Angel Tree program. With this program, parents in need are able to give Christmas gifts to their children. These families are referred to this program by different youth and family-serving agencies in Phelps County. Last year 81 families were served, a total of 188 children.

Rachael Karr, Mentoring Coordinator and Prevention Specialist at Prevention Consultants of Missouri, a not for profit charitable organization in town, is directing the PCCAN Angel Tree program for her 5th year.

“Parents fill out an application provided by one of the referring agencies and they list the clothing sizes [and] coat sizes and a couple toys that their kids are interested in receiving. We take that information and we put them on angels,” Karr said.

Once the angel trees are put in the participating stores, customers can take the angel and purchase the item written on it. Once they do this, they leave them at the store with the angel.

“We will collect the items back from the stores when people purchase them and we bring them here to the office [Prevention Consultants of Missouri] and sort them out,” Karr said.

Although this program has been going on for quite some time, they are making a new adjustment to it this year.

“This year we are going to set up a store where the parents can actually come choose the presents that they want to give their kids. In the past we have boxed them up by family and wrapped them, but this year we wanted the parents to have more input and more ownership in the project for their kids,”Karr said.

According to Karr, this process is rewarding even though a lot of work is required to keep it going.

“I feel like Santa Claus. It is a lot of work, but it is also a lot of fun. We have had lots of volunteers who have helped by cutting out and putting strings on the angels to get them ready for the trees,” Karr said.

There are a couple ways people can get involved in this program that helps so many families this Christmas. One way is to buy a gift at the store, and the other would be to help with the store in which the parents will pick out the gifts for their children. Volunteers may also help the parents wrap these presents.

“On December 19th when we have the store set up [at the Dance Studio] we would also be happy to have volunteers help with that,” Karr said.

The success of the Angel Tree Program relies heavily on the generosity of these anonymous donors who take an angel and buy gifts for kids they will likely never know.

“It’s amazing each year and very heartwarming to see first-hand the generosity of people in our community. If you have doubts about humanity, working with this program will certainly rekindle your belief in the good in people and make you proud to be a part of our community,” Karr said.