LCA Employees Deliver Angel Tree, Food Pantry Donations
December 20, 2022LCA employees work hard all year ‘round to deliver reliable, high-quality water and wastewater services to our customers. But in December, we always take time to help Santa deliver something else to Lehigh Valley families: food and holiday cheer.
Through The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, our workers donated gifts for 24 children from the Lehigh Valley region. In the photo above, from left, are LCA employees Ramon N., Pierce H., Ryan M., Trissina T., and Christopher B. (not shown, Jason G.), with Darien Huaman, Director of Social Services for Salvation Army.
LCA employees also donated several boxes of non-perishable items to St. Paul’s Food Pantry, managed by St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, located in Trexlertown. The church operates the food pantry in partnership with the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley.
LCA has participated in both programs for many years.
“Every year our employees look forward to supporting local children who are part of the Angel Tree program and donating to a local food pantry,” says Lehigh County Authority CEO Liesel Gross. “The contributions make a difference in the lives of neighbors in need, and we cherish this tradition of giving.”
The Angel Tree Tradition
The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provides gifts for children of disadvantaged families. The gifts are given to parents a few days before Christmas. This is so that the child believes they’re from his parents or Santa Claus — preserving the magic of the holiday.
The Angel Tree got its start in 1979. Two Salvation Army majors, Charles and Shirley White, came up with the idea to provide clothing and toys for children during the holiday season at a shopping mall in Lynchburg, Virginia.
When the Whites were transferred to Nashville, Tennessee, three years later, the Angel Tree followed. WSM radio, which airs the Grand Ol’ Opry, heard about the program and became the first co-sponsor. Thanks to the radio station and national publicity, the program became a national tradition.
If you’d like to help The Salvation Army — either for the holidays, or at any time of the year — please call (610) 432-0129 or visit them online at LehighValley.SalvationArmyPA.org.