Give Toys this Christmas
Angel Tree
Help Bring Joy to Orange County Children This Christmas
Every Christmas, The Salvation Army helps more than 2,000 children across Orange County experience the joy of the season through our Angel Tree program. For many families facing financial hardship, Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Your generosity helps ensure that children wake up to gifts, hope, and the knowledge that their community cares.
All families receiving assistance are screened to ensure they meet program qualifications. In Orange County, families must:
- Live in Orange County
- Have children age 12 and under
- Meet income eligibility requirements
Your support helps provide Christmas gifts while also connecting families to year-round services and resources that can help them move toward greater stability.
Choose the giving opportunity that's right for you.
Angel Tree Tags
Best for Companies, Schools, Churches & Large Groups
Angel Tree Tags are one of the most popular and effective ways to organize a holiday giving campaign.
We provide tags featuring a child's age, gender, and interests. These tags represent the types of children served through our program and help guide shoppers toward age-appropriate gifts that are truly needed.
Simply place the tags on a Christmas tree, bulletin board, or display and invite employees, students, customers, church members, or community members to select a tag and purchase a gift.
Why Generic Tags?
For large campaigns involving dozens or even hundreds of participants, it can be difficult to track specific child adoptions and ensure every tag is returned. Generic tags allow gifts to be distributed where they are needed most through our Christmas Toy & Joy Shop while still giving donors helpful guidance on what to purchase.
A Helpful Tip
Many donors naturally gravitate toward gifts for younger children. While those gifts are always appreciated, older children often receive fewer donations. Choosing a tag representing an older child can make an especially meaningful impact.
What Happens to the Gifts?
The toys collected through these tag drives are distributed through our Toy & Joy Shop, where parents are invited to personally select gifts for their children in a dignified shopping-style experience.
Request Angel Tree Tags → Click here
Host a Toy Drive
Flexible Giving for Businesses, Schools & Community Groups
A Toy Drive is very similar to an Angel Tree Tag campaign but gives donors complete freedom to choose any new, unwrapped toy they would like to donate.
Some organizations prefer this option because donors can purchase gifts that inspire them without being tied to a specific tag.
Whether someone wants to donate a board game, sports equipment, dolls, building sets, art supplies, or a special "must-have" item, every gift helps create a memorable Christmas for a child.
We can provide toy collection boxes to help make collecting donations simple and organized.
Toy Collection & Drop-Off
To help us serve families efficiently, we ask groups to deliver collected toys whenever possible to one of our Orange County locations:
Because thousands of gifts arrive during the holiday season, our staff and volunteers are often unable to provide large-scale toy pickup services.
Request a Toy Drive Kit → Click here
Adopt an Angel Online
Best for Individuals & Families
Looking for a more personal giving experience?
Our online Angel Tree allows donors to adopt a specific child who has applied for Christmas assistance.
You'll see information such as:
- Child's age
- Interests and hobbies
- Clothing sizes
- Shoe sizes
- Gift suggestions
This option allows you to shop specifically for that child and provide gifts tailored to their interests and needs.
Many donors enjoy the personal connection of knowing exactly who they are helping while still maintaining the family's privacy.
Gift Return Information
Gifts purchased for an adopted Angel should be returned to the Anaheim Red Shield Community Center, where they will be sorted, packaged, and delivered to the specific child selected.
Adopt an Angel Online → Click Here
Adopt a Family
Provide Christmas for an Entire Household
For donors seeking an even deeper impact, our Adopt a Family program offers the opportunity to bless an entire household during a difficult season.
Some families applying for assistance have experienced extraordinary challenges during the year, including unexpected hardships, medical concerns, employment difficulties, or other life-changing circumstances.
When you adopt a family, you may be asked to provide gifts for:
- Children
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Other household members
Confidential & Respectful
Family privacy is extremely important.
While you will receive information about the family's needs, circumstances, ages, interests, and wish lists, all identifying information remains confidential. Donors do not meet the family, and personal contact information is never shared.
This program allows you to make a meaningful difference while preserving the dignity and privacy of those receiving assistance.
Because families continue applying throughout the fall season, family matches become available later in the year. We appreciate your patience as we work to carefully connect donors with families in need.
Apply to Adopt a Family → Click Here
The Toy & Joy Shop
Dignity. Choice. Joy.
Unlike traditional toy distribution programs, The Salvation Army's Toy & Joy Shop allows parents to personally choose gifts for their children.
After qualifying families complete the application process and receive their appointment time, they visit a Salvation Army location transformed into a Christmas shop. Parents browse available toys and select gifts that best match their children's interests.
This shopping-style experience provides dignity, choice, and a more meaningful Christmas morning for families.
The gifts donated through Angel Tree Tags and Toy Drives make this experience possible.
Important Holiday Deadlines
Gift Return Deadline
Saturday, December 12
To ensure gifts can be sorted, organized, and distributed in time for Christmas, we ask donors and participating organizations to return all gifts by the stated deadline.
Make Christmas Possible
Whether you host an Angel Tree, organize a toy drive, adopt a specific child, or sponsor an entire family, your generosity helps bring hope, joy, and dignity to local families during the Christmas season.
Together, we can ensure every child experiences the wonder of Christmas.