Angel Tree: Give a child of an imprisoned parent a gift

Lucy Valenzuela is 6. Her dad is in prison and this will be her fourth Christmas without him, but she’s not alone. About 2.7 million American children have a mom or dad in prison.

“I wish I would see him for Christmas,” said Lucy.

“It’s really sad not having her Dad here every holiday with her,” said Lucy’s mother Candy Lira, “It really hurts.”

Angel Tree, a Christian Prison Fellowship program, reaches out to the children of inmates and their families locally and across the country by providing them with a gift for Christmas on behalf of their incarcerated parent.
And while many people will be kicking off their holiday shopping this week, Angel Tree asks shoppers to buy a little something for a child whose parent can’t spend the holidays with them.

It’s a painful scenario far too familiar to Candice Imbach and her children Adam, 7, and Alizea, 4. Her son’s father was in prison before he passed away and Alizea’s father is now incarcerated.

“He got into drugs and became very abusive,” said Imbach. “Surprisingly of all the times he’s been incarcerated, this is the first year he put a foot forward to give his daughter and stepson a gift.”

The goal is for the child to feel special and loved by their imprisoned parent.

The organization needs church’s or groups to volunteer to donate a gift for some of the 38,652 children left on the waiting list. Local church volunteers purchase and deliver gifts and the Gospel to children in the name of their prisoner-parent.

Volunteers will give you an “Angel” with a child’s name and wish list. All you need is to provide a new gift worth at least $20. Attach the angel to the present. The best part — it includes a note from their parent.
Each gift must be new and cost a minimum $20.

Contact local participating churches such as Sword of the Lord Ministries in Thousand Palms.

Sign-up or donate online at Angeltree.org or call for more information 1-800-55-ANGEL