Envision Financial will offer the Angel Tree program for a third consecutive year to help spread some holiday cheer to those in need.
All Envision Financial locations, including the four in Delta, will display a decorated Christmas tree with angel ornaments, each representing a child, youth or senior in the community.
Members of the public are encouraged to take an angel from the tree and return it with a new and unwrapped gift to any participating Envision location by Dec. 8.
All gifts and/or cash donations collected will be delivered to a local non-profit agency or Christmas bureau.
In addition to selecting an angel off each tree, beginning this year, people also have the option of selecting a tin can ornament off the tree, and returning it with a non-perishable food item or cash donation.
"The statistics really speak to the need for this program," says Susan Byrom, manager of corporate citizenship at Envision Financial. "One in five children in B.C. live under the poverty line and this year alone, B.C. food banks served over 28,000 kids.
In 2011, the Angel Tree program provided 600 Christmas gifts and this year the goal is to give even more.
This year, Envision has created a video to share the message of the Angel Tree program that can be viewed at www.youtube. com/envisionfinancial. For every view, Envision will donate $1 to the Angel Tree program (up to $10,000), which will then be distributed to the program's community partners.
In 2010, four Envision branches participated in the Angel Tree program in Delta and Surrey. In 2011, the program expanded to include 15 branches supporting eight communities. This year, all Envision branches will be participating.
The Angel Tree's community partners in Delta are Deltassist, Reach Child and Youth Development Society, and the South Delta Food Bank.
