How Project Angel Tree is Helping Spread Holiday Cheer
SYRACUSE, NY (NCC News) – In the spirit of giving and spreading joy during the holiday season, Project Angel Tree is once again making a significant impact by fulfilling the wishes of children facing adversity.
Project Angel Tree, a charitable initiative that has been bringing smiles to the faces of disadvantaged children for several years, is gearing up for another heartwarming holiday season. The project, organized by Vineyard Church, aims to provide gifts and holiday cheer to children whose families may be experiencing financial hardship, incarceration, or other challenging circumstances.
For nearly 15 years, the church has partnered with the organization to help 1,612 kids receive Christmas gifts since 2008. This season, Vineyard Church will serve 80 families, with every list already accounted for. Members of the Syracuse community contribute to this cause by picking up a child’s Christmas wish list that was made by their parents, buying, packing and delivering the gifts in time for the holiday.
Lead Pastor Chris Honess says that the most special part is the gifts come from the people they love.
“The amazing thing is that the package comes from the parents. The parents as written on the angel tree tag and that tag gets posted on the present,” Honess says.
Vineyard Church will deliver the presents to all areas of Syracuse with their main focus in the southside and eastside neighborhoods. Through all the years of giving, Honess says its the memories and connections with the community that are the greatest gift of them all.
“Met someone at Dollar Tree or something like that and say, ‘Oh you work at the Vineyard, you got my kids a gift from Angel Tree’,” Honess says. “I mean so it’s a memorable thing.”
For more information on how to participate in next year’s Angel Tree project, visit https://vineyardny.org/angeltree for more information.