The Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree is Now Online

This year, The Salvation Army with the help of the JC Penney Company, is making holiday charity easier than ever. The Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree is now online. This site works much like other angel or giving trees except that shopping can be done online and the gifts can be shipped directly to the Salvation Army for distribution.

Adopting an Angel
The first step is to visit the Angel Giving Tree website. To adopt an "angel" you click the red bow in the middle of the page and enter a zip code. You can either enter your local zip code or a zip code from anywhere in the country. You then select an infant, toddler, child, teen, or senior age group and specify a gender. The Salvation Army has qualified these recipients based on need so you can be sure your gift is going to someone who will truly appreciate it. In the next step you will be shown all the matching "angels" in the zip code you chose. The page shows the angel's age and distance from the zip code you entered along with a list of needs and a list of wants. You choose an angel based on how much you have to give and whether you can afford to fulfill the items on the list. According to the website, you don't need to buy everything on the list, but should be able to buy most of the things on the needs list.

Your Angel
Once you have chosen an angel and clicked on select, you will be asked for your first name and email address. If you submit your name and email you will see a screen with the angel ID, gift information, and shipping address and will also receive a confirmation email. Be sure to print this information and/or save the email. You will need to include the angel ID in the shipping address to ensure that your gifts reach your adopted angel. You can also choose to drop your gifts at a local Salvation Army facility.

Shopping for Your Angel
You can shop anywhere online that lets you ship items to addresses other than your home address. You just use the shipping address including the angel ID code to ship the gifts directly to the appropriate Salvation Army facility. You can send more than one package to fulfill your angel's wishes as long as every package has the angel ID code. You can also purchase JC Penney gift cards and have them shipped to the local Salvation Army and they will purchase the gifts for your angel. If you do not wish to shop online you can buy the gifts and drop them off at the Salvation Army facility listed in the confirmation email. Dropped off gifts should not be wrapped.

Shopping Discounts and Timing
Included in the confirmation email is a code for free shipping at JCPenney.com. Amazon.com also has free shipping on lots of items if you spend at least $25.00. Look for the phrase "ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping" on the product page. You can find many other coupons and discount codes at sites like DealNews.com or RetailMeNot.com. The gifts need to reach the Salvation Army site by December 14 in order to be processed and distributed. Keep in mind that free shipping deals are usually the slowest method of shipping so plan accordingly.

Give with Friends
If you cannot afford to adopt an angel yourself, consider pooling your money with friends, family members, co-workers, kids in your class, or church members. You can adopt more than one angel and you will receive a unique angel ID code for each one. For many of these people this is all the Christmas they will have and most are asking for things they really need.

This new online Angel Giving Tree is a great holiday charity opportunity. Even for someone who doesn't have the time to shop and drop off gifts, it only takes a few mouse clicks to shop online or send a gift card.

Angel Giving Tree Site
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Section