I am referring to the Salvation Army Angels. Years ago, my company used to adopt hundreds of angels and volunteers would coordinate to ensure employees 'adopted' each one. We then knew first names, ages and all siblings and parents for each family and we could ensure that gifts were 'fair' across the family etc. Our employees usually spent between $50 and $100 on each Angel. Later we switched to a different program, Sincerely Santa. I recently moved so I can’t participate in my previous program so will sponsor an Angel this year. What do you normally spend on your Angels? I realize all gifts are special and appreciated but, for example, if one person spends $75 on one Angel and their sibling ended up with a gift worth about $5, the child receiving the lesser gift may feel bad or slighted. I am just looking for the average of what most people spend on Angels so that way I can follow suit to help make sure those within a family are receiving similar gift values. Thanks
wow $50-100?? oh my.. I've only ever spent $20-25. Any more than that and I wouldn't be able to afford an Angel!
We do small, or handmade gifts for family and friends...and spend most of our budget on the angels. We pick several. Generally, we pick the ages that are always left over. (usually teenagers and boys.) I'd say we generally spend between $50-$100 on each Angel, depending on what they want.
I have never done gotten my angel thru an agency. Me and a few friends "Elf" people we know who are in need. Last year was a woman and her son and I (alone) spent $50 on the 2 of them getting him things he wanted and getting her an item she needed and then a few smaller things that I knew she loved. I know that others spent at least that much if ot a little more. This year we have a family and depending on the age of the children is what we are spending. For the kids to each have 2 gifts each I am budgeting $100 total. We can't go overboard as we would tend to do, but everyone is kicking in some extras for the parents so they can get groceries or gas for their car or what they actually need.
Where I work we do toys for tots and food bank donations. EVERYONE donates to that and we typically have 3 - 4 barrels of food and more toys than the Marines typically expect.
Really depends. I buy a lot of the stuff at Kohls and if you have coupons the items are pretty affordable - maybe $20 tops. However - the group I went through last year to help adopt a family (my local mom's board) ended up not doing very much and as we got closer we realized a lot of the kids weren't going to get much of anything. At that point I stepped it up and put around $200 on my Kohls charge to make sure the kids had basics like coats, boots, etc - I just couldn't bear the thought of those kiddos not even having a coat because people that committed couldn't follow through - it broke my heart.
It depends on how it's handled and the wishes. Little kids are less expensive with their toys.
When I was in college, my roommates and I picked a kid from WalMart's tree with an age, a size and a few wishes and probably spent about $50 per kid. I remember one kid pretty clearly - we got him matching gloves, hat and scarf, a football, a sweatshirt and some socks. He was so practical and we threw in the whole matching set even though he only asked for gloves.
Currently the congregation sponsors a few families in general. The needs and requests of the families are put on individual ornaments so no one person takes on any other one person. You take as many or as few as you can handle. This year I picked 2 items off the tree for the same girl. I spent about $20 on 3 items (I picked up some paper for her art set).
Honestly, if I shop Target and you shop Macy's and both kids get a dress, tights and gloves does it really matter if you spent $60 and I spent $30? I understand wanting to be "even" but you buy what fits both the wish and your budget, IMO. Without you, there might be NO gift. I don't skimp, but I am conscious of my own abilities.
I do, though, tend to put in gift receipts because I've gotten the sizing wrong for my own kid and it gives them an option to swap.
I have participated in the Salvation Army angel program for several years as have many of my friends. I was just having this same conversation last night. The past couple of years I have spent about $75 per child. I found out last night that my friend has being doing the same. This year my friend increased the amount to $100. I have not started shopping for my angel but I am going to try to stay close to $75. My thought is that what they get from us is all that they will get for Christmas. I try to do some items from the need list (coat, clothes, etc.) and then an item or so from the want list (toys, books, movies, etc.). I also know that the coordinator that we work with reviews the items for each child and will add items to a child that did not receive much.
Good luck and thanks to all that help children and families in need have a better Christmas!
When we have received gifts through the angel tree program I think the people have spent well over $100 on each child. I know we signed up late that year the trees at Walmart were already filled so our angels went to Conoco Phillips. They of course are the most wealthy people in our town, even the secretary's make well above minimum wage and the engineers make close to $70K.
We got bicycles, clothes, sleeping bags, dolls, cars, etc...each child had so many wonderful things. We sat and cried because it was so much more than we ever imagined. I overheard someone asking an employee in the toy department today about what size bicycle to get and the employee didn't know so I butted in...that's just me. Anyway they were carrying their angels and getting their toys for them. I told them what size they needed and walked away crying. I was so happy for the child they are buying for but I was so jealous too. My hubby forgot to go sign our kids up and we are struggling to even get a few things. I know god will help and everything will work out but still, to know that some child is getting such a nice gift made my heart reach both emotions at the same time. I
I am glad you are doing this for a needy child, may God bless you double for it.
I usually spend about $100. I try to get a school outfit and a play outfit and at least 1 toy.
When my girls were younger we would always find a angel that had a girl close to the age of my daughter, and we would spend $20 to $40 depending on the "wish".
I budgeted $30 dollars for each of my Angels. I got three young(2,3,4yrs) kids close in age to my own so that I can afford their stuff. I just got them each their gift on their wish today, and I am going to get them each one more small item. This is my first year to participate since we have never attended a church until this year (and I am not saying there is anything wrong) but I was surprised at how long and how many angels we had to look over to find some with things we could afford. A lot of iPods, gift cards with a high amount $50 and up and Xbox stuff. I was kinda surprised.
This is the first year I've done this and picked 2 names off the tree at church. They are requesting that we spend up to $25 only on each pick. I got a Birth-2 Year old girl and 11-12 year old boy. Sometimes one item for an older child may cost the same as 3 for someone younger. I would spend what you can afford.
