Remember the excitement you would feel on Christmas Day? Tearing through gift wrap and seeing that present you had so desperately wanted for so long, was a feeling that stays with us long into adulthood. Some children, unfortunately, don’t get to experience that, but that’s why the Salvation Army has taken a stand. Their Angel Tree program provides new toys and clothing to children in need during the holidays, through the support of donors. The Furniture Mall volunteered recently to help them during this busy time of preparation. We interviewed Audrey Vivar, Austin’s Corporate and Foundations Manager at the Salvation Army, and she let us know what we were going to do for the day, and what they needed from us.
Tell us, what our team is going to be doing today, and your biggest needs right now.
Audrey: We are so excited that the Furniture Mall of Texas is here. We provide Christmas assistance to about 9,000 children, through our Angel Tree program, which is here in Central Texas. It is serving children and families who are in need of Christmas gifts. So, you are bringing so much joy to so many kids this holiday season. So, what’s happening actually, we are serving 9,000 children over a course of Monday through Friday. This is our distribution week. Wednesday is a super important day in our program because it’s called “Reset Day”, which means we sort of clear out everything, audit everything, and then restock for Thursday and Friday. So, it’s like a week’s worth of work all in one day to be able to prepare for Thursday and Friday. Having you guys here is so important for us.
Volunteer Claudia, going in for another toy bag.
Could You Tell Us About the Salvation Army?
Audrey: Just a little bit about the Salvation Army, we are the largest provider of shelter in Central Texas outside of the Angel Tree program. About 82% of the people that exit our shelter move from homelessness to housing. We are not only providing assistance during the holiday season, but year-round, we are really a safety net for people that are in crisis in the community.
Where Should People Go If They Want to Volunteer?
Audrey: All of our volunteer opportunities are going to be posted on our website. There are still volunteers needed after Christmas to help inventory everything for next year.
Volunteer Topher shows off one of the cool gifts, a violin!
An Employee Experience
One of our employees, Cassie McArthur, was once a child whose family had to enlist the Salvation Army’s help for Christmas. Volunteering was a full-circle experience for her, who was very grateful for everything the Salvation Army provided for her and her family.
Cassie: If it wasn’t for the Salvation Army there were several years, I wouldn’t have had a Christmas, so I just wanted to thank you.
Audrey: Oh, that’s so awesome. I love hearing stories like that.
Cassie: Yeah, I don’t remember much, but I do remember going into a room and them asking what I wanted for Christmas. Then on Christmas Day, we had presents lining the room, so it was great to see that as a kid.
The Furniture Mall had a great time volunteering our time to help the holiday crunch time. What really stood out to us was the dedication to having an organized system, and the quality and care put into preparing the gifts. This was not simply slapping together whatever we could find, it was looking at the great selection of toys, toiletries, and clothes and thinking what would make the child the happiest.
As stated above, if you are interested in volunteering at your local Salvation Army, check their website for more details. And if you are ever in need of a couch, stop by the Furniture Mall, and we’ll be sure to help you out.
Written by Emily Holleran