It’s already time to begin adopting and shopping for this year’s Angel Tree Program as the local Lions Club is geared up to provide a special holiday for the less fortunate children and families in Princeton.

“We have a number of stu­dents that might go without Christmas if we did not reach out to them,” said Superinten­dent Philip Anthony. “There’s no other civic organization be­sides the Lions Club that is set up to help and target the Princ­eton area exclusively.”

Applications are already being accepted from families and adoption of these angels started Nov. 4 through the An­gel Tree program, which is in its 12th year.

“This is always a great way to give back to the commu­nity,” said Donald McIntyre, Lions Club member andassistant superintendent for student services. “It is awe­some to see the community come together to help so many students.”

The applications being ac­cepted on each Princeton ISD campus will be verified us­ing information from the free and reduced meal program, as well as recommendations from counselors regarding new cir­cumstances.

The deadline for applications is Monday, Dec. 2. All Angel applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Angel Tree adoptions con­tinue until Friday, Dec. 6.

“For the past 11 years, we’ve always been able to assist ev­ery eligible applicant,” Mr. An­thony said. “And applications are already coming in for this year.”

For 2018, 515 children from 168 families were adopted through Angel Tree.

“We are estimating we will need to help more than 600 children this year,” Mr. Mc­Intyre said.

The community support plays a big role in getting ev­ery child adopted. The City of Princeton joins First Bank and Trust and Independent Bank with Angel Trees in those loca­tions.

“We couldn’t do this without the help from the community,” Mr. McIntyre said. “We need everyone to make this happen.”

According to Mr. Anthony, district employees do a great job in stepping up for this char­itable effort. Many make pay­roll contributions, and teachers and coaches get the students in their programs to help by do­nating to the Angel Tree.

Student groups such as Fel­lowship of Christian Athletes, PALs, athletic teams and Na­tional Honor Society adopt the Angel Tree program as a community service project, with members bringing toys or clothes or shopping together as a group.

Deliveries to families will begin Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Procedures for adopting an angel include:

Call 469.952.5400 or e-mail contacts: Amy Ivy aivy@princ­etonisd.net or Kim Williams [email protected] or stop by the PISD Administra­tion Office at 321 Panther Pkwy.

– Guideline: Spend ap­proximately $60 per child.

– Clearly mark all un­wrapped presents with the Family and Child number from the adoption form. Donors are asked to use removable labels with the Family and Child number so the items will not have handwriting on them.

– Drop-off deadline is Mon­day, Dec. 9. The drop-off location for returning your unwrapped presents will be determined by Family number this year because of renova­tion at the Auxiliary Services Building. Drop-off for Family #101-200 will be at the Auxil­iary Services Building. Drop-off for Family #201+ will be at the PISD Administration Building.

– If someone cannot afford to adopt an entire child, pair up to adopt a child.

– Make a monetary donation at any campus, administration office, First Bank and Trust or Independent Bank (checks payable to Princeton Lions Club); or

– Sponsor a portion of a child by selecting from the Angel Tree at either First Bank and Trust, Independent Bank or the City of Princeton. Individual items, including toys or cloth­ing, will be available.

For more stories like this see the Nov. 7 edition or subscribe online.

Jean Ann Collins • [email protected]