JSI-MD Donates Toys, Clothing to Salvation Army Angel Tree Program

For the 12^th year, the staff in JSI’s Maryland headquarters opened their hearts and their wallets to donate toys and warm clothing to kids in the community through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. The office’s lobby overflowed with the more than $4,000 in donations.

Donations poured into the office throughout the beginning of December, packing Denise Banning’s office as pick-up day grew closer. In the end, JSI filled a Salvation Army box truck with 13 coats, 9 bikes, 47 games, 8 scooters, 36 dolls/action figures, 40+ cars and other vehicles, 10 backpacks, 1 rocking horse, 8 packs of Play-Doh, 6 big wheels, dozens of balls, 6 skateboards, coloring books and crayons, plus a heap of stuffed animals, craft supplies, baby toys, sports equipment, hats, gloves and scarfs.

The Prince George’s County-based Salvation Army Corps works to fulfill the wishes of more than 1250 angels annually. Salvation Army Captains David and Raquel Lorenzo rely on JSI’s enormous donation each year to fill in the gaps of the children whose angels weren’t chosen by another business or individual in the community.

The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command’s Angel Tree program has been around for nearly four decades and assists thousands of parents of children 12 and under in the area provide their families a wonderful Christmas. Applicants face emergency financial hardships, underemployment, or unemployment. In 2016, the National Capital Area Command assisted 6,000 families so that they could provide a magical Christmas for nearly 14,000 children in the area. The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program is one of the largest in-kind corporate giving programs in the National Capital Area.

Happy holidays from JSI!