Date: December 14, 2021
One of the biggest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been financial: many families have lost their income, jobs, and homes. Millions of Americans have fallen on hard times. Some who had little to begin with now have even less, and are struggling every day just to make it through until tomorrow. They wonder how they will be able to provide gifts for their children this Christmas.
Back in 1979, The Salvation Army created the Angel Tree program to help families going through hard times over the holidays. They identified the needs and wishes of local children, wrote their names on Hallmark greeting cards that featured angels, and placed the cards on Christmas trees at malls, inviting shoppers to select children to help.
Thanks to the National Capital Area Command’s Adopt an Angel program, more than 700 children will have a brighter Christmas this year in our region. The Seminary community adopted 87 local children! Service projects such as the Adopt an Angel program are invaluable, not only to those who were helped this year but to our students who will serve as future leaders of the Church.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President
