- Kingsville's Salvation Army and King's Way Church are putting up Angel Trees in the community to help Kingsville kids.
- Anyone can adopt one or more angels by Dec 10. Adopting an angel includes buying the child basic clothing needs and a toy on their wishlist.
- Many of the children who are angels live in poverty and might not get a gift without the Angel Tree.
- Gifts are due by Dec 18.
There's something magical this time of year, where families get together for the holidays and children anxiously wait and wonder what they'll get for Christmas.
But sadly, many of the children who live in Kingsville may not be able to share in the magic of the holidays. Their parents struggle to make ends meet, but there is a way people can make their holiday wishes come true.
The Salvation Army in Kingsville is partnering with King's Way Church to try to give hundreds upon hundreds of kids gifts this Christmas. Salvation Army Angel Trees is aimed at making sure each kid in the community, especially those whose families cannot afford many gifts, gets new clothing and toys.
Leslie and Javiel Rojas are participating in Salvation Army's Angel Trees for the first time. They decided to adopt not just one, but five children.
"It's a family. A few weeks ago, I was speaking with another adult and she mentioned that a little girl mentioned to her how she's never had a barbie... it made me tell my husband that we have to get these kids something to look forward to on Christmas," Leslie Rojas said.
The Rojas family said that they want to use the money God has blessed them with to bless other children this season of giving.
"I don't want these kids to feel like they're forgotten about from Santa. If other kids go and say that Santa brought them an iPad or other things and these kids are sitting there and didn't get anything because they didn't have the resources and thinking, what if Santa doesn't like us or what if he didn't get my letter. We just want them to feel like they're remembered by Santa and by the community and give them happy memories," Rojas said.
Kingsway Church helps out about 40-50 kids from the city's Westside a week. They also spend time and help out about a hundred kids from the Lulac Manor, apartments for those in need.
"One of the things we do is we try to get a kid a pair of shoes, a pair of pants, a shirt and a toy, something that they would like for Christmas. We try to meet their physical and spiritual needs, like food. We feed kids on Wednesdays and the first thing they ask is what's for dinner," Director of Kingsville Salvation Army and Associate Pastor at King's Way Steve Martinez said.
A lot of the kids who are angels this year are helping out as well by helping ring the Salvation Army bell at Walmart and Walgreens. They'll go after school and during Thanksgiving break throughout the day.
Martinez said a lot of kids ask for simple things like coloring books, volleyballs, basketballs, socks and underclothes.
"Some of the things these kids are asking for might seem so small, but it means the world to them," Martinez said.
Angel Trees will be up at the Kingsville Walmart entrance and at King's Way Church on Senator Carlos Truan Blvd.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
