Princeton High School CATE HVAC students sort food drive donations and distribute Angel Tree gifts.

The Angel Tree program, developed to assist the less fortunate Princeton ISD students during Christmas, is now in its 17th year, and there are angels ready to be adopted.

Sponsored by the Lions Club, in conjunction with Princeton ISD, organizers said it is a great way to give back to the community.

“In a rapidly growing community, the Angel Tree program keeps alive the Princeton tradition of caring for all our students,” Lions Club President Casey Gunnels said. “This project is an opportunity for our small-town spirit to shine through even as we continue to grow.”

He said there is plenty of time to shop for these children and provide them with a Christmas they might not experience otherwise.

Counselors on each Princeton ISD campus work with families applying for assistance via online

reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Their need is verified using information from the free- and reduced-meal program, and other considerations can be made, including any new financial burdens a family may be facing.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, Nov. 27, and Angel Tree adoptions will continue until Monday, Dec. 2. Distribution to families will begin Wednesday, Dec. 4.

In an effort to streamline the annual Angel Tree application and adoption process, the Lions Club uses technology as a tool to be more efficient to accommodate the significant volume of families in need.

“When you are talking about the work that goes into making this program successful year after year, it is very labor intensive,” Gunnels said. “It takes a lot of manpower behind the scenes, so we are doing what we can to keep the program focused on its goal of community service while trying to lessen the burden on everyone involved.”

Angel Tree organizers implemented the upgrade last year to make applications, approvals and adoptions easier. After the launch year, they tweaked the system to make improvements for this year.

“We made a few adjustments to make the process even more streamlined this year,” said Lions Club member Katie Guinn, who spearheaded the technology implementation in 2023. “Our No. 1 goal is still to make sure every angel is adopted, but we also want to make it easier for those behind the scenes.”

For the past 16 years, Lions Club has been able to assist every eligible Angel Tree applicant,

In 2023, 1,154 children from 388 families were adopted through Angel Tree, which was an additional 358 angels and 110 families from the previous year.

“With the economy and inflation, we are estimating high numbers again this year,” Gunnels said.

Community support plays a big role in getting every child adopted. The Princeton-Lowry Crossing Chamber of Commerce and City of Princeton join Peoples Bank and Independent Financial with Angel Trees in those locations.

“We couldn’t do this without the help from the community,” said PISD Superintendent Donald McIntyre, who is also a Lions Club member. “We need everyone to make this happen. It is awesome to see the community come together to help so many students, and our district employees have always done a great job in stepping up for this charitable effort.”

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

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