The Salvation Army has started its annual Christmas drives in Texas. The organization hopes to give children presents through its Angel Tree program and raise money through its Red Kettle campaign.
The Salvation Army of North Texas serves six counties surrounding the Metroplex. The organization launched the Christmas programs at Golden Triangle Mall in Denton.
The organization hopes to provide presents for 45,000 children and raise money to help 100,000 people through its Red Kettle campaign. The Salvation Army of North Texas says it raised $1.5 million through its Red Kettle campaign last year, but this year's calendar provides five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"Giving to the Red Kettle campaign makes such a difference to the people in our community because when you give to the Salvation Army, what you give stays in this community," says Salvation Army Major Marion Durham.
Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth and Denton County Judge Andy Eads made the first donations at the event.
"It's a reminder the need is present, first," Hudspeth says. "Then the next question is how do I help? It reminds people there are easy ways to plug in."
According to a survey by the Federal Reserve in May, 64% of parents living in households with kids under 18 were "doing at least okay" financially, the lowest number since the Fed started the survey.
The Salvation Army estimates 629,000 people in North Texas are dealing with food insecurity and 159,000 are at risk of eviction or foreclosure. The organization says 2.5 million adults are having trouble paying household expenses.
"I don't think people understand the magnitude of poverty in such a wealthy part of the country," says the Salvation Army's Durham.
Hudspeth says providing gifts through the Angel Tree program can help parents give kids a memorable Christmas regardless of financial burdens they might face otherwise.
"It's hard, that pressure on a parent to not be able to give kids everything they want to," he says. "To have an organization like the Salvation Army be able to step in and fill that gap is great."
The Salvation Army says it raises nearly half its annual revenue from October through December.
People can donate to Red Kettles or adopt someone from an Angel Tree in person or online. People can also register to ring a bell at a Red Kettle or sign up to volunteer at another Salvation Army facility. Details are available here.
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