LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — During the holiday season, there's no such thing as too much generosity— and while organizations like the Salvation Army work hard to meet the needs of families across central Arkansas, this year they could use a helping hand.
Christmas is a big year for the organization, and they have plenty of their own needs to meet before they're able to fulfill those of local families.
The Salvation Army and its volunteers have been working nonstop, from the bell ringers to Santa’s helpers to make sure Arkansas families get some holiday cheer.
“We only have a few more days left before Angel Tree gifts are due,” said Bill Mockabee, Area Commander of the Salvation Army for Central Arkansas. “We’re making sure we have plenty of time to get everything settled and ready for the parents in the deliveries.”
According to Mockabee, more than 2300 angels and 1,000 families are relying on the angel tree initiative to get gifts this year.
“They're struggling to make ends meet outside of Christmas and the holiday season, but then you put that on top of the expectation that kids have of having gifts,” Mockabee explained.
A trip through the angel tree warehouse will show volunteers working to pack angel's boxes. Unfortunately, many are still empty.
“There are approximately 300 angels that are still left to be adopted and need to be taken off a tree,” Mockabee said.
If the gifts never come in for these angels, the Salvation Army must fix that problem internally.
“[Volunteers] will shop in our warehouse here and make sure that every child has gifts and clothes for Christmas,” Mockabee added.
However, some may not realize that there’s a domino effect at hand. The ability to have gifts in the warehouse is only possible from donations through the Salvation Army’s red kettles.
“We need people who want to provide service because people are in need,” said Erma Carter, a volunteer bell ringer for the Salvation Army.
Carter has volunteered to ring her bell next to the red kettle for nearly nine years in a row— and she has no plans of stopping yet!
“As long as I'm able to drive out here, I will do it, so I’m still ringing,” Carter said.
Carter and Mockabee said one thing they need is more bell ringers.
“We're 500 hours short of where we were last year overall,” Mockabee said.
Currently, only 800 bell-ringing hours are filled from now through December 23rd, when bell ringing stops. That may seem like plenty of hours, but the Salvation Army needs 1,500 hours.
“To make sure that we have gifts for the Angel Tree, but also for the work that the Salvation Army does 365 days a year,” Mockabee said.
Erma hopes people will step up to fill that need, saying it's a quick job, that fills the heart.
“You only need to volunteer two hours, and if you can't do two just volunteer one hour,” Carter said. “You'll be surprised how you will feel after you've done this one hour.”
Angel Tree gifts are due on December 9, and you can register to bell ring here.