PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three hundred families will spend Christmas warm and fed, and their children will have presents to open thanks to the Salvation Army and Christian Center.

 

On Tuesday, the two organizations, joined by volunteers from Berkshire Bank, began distributing Christmas needs to those who signed up for the program. The Salvation Army's gymnasium was filled with toys, warm clothing, and food to pass out to eligible families.

 

In total, the Angel Tree program will reach 620 children through 300 families.

 

"The Salvation Army has always tried to help out the community in any way they can and do the most good for the most people in the most need. We just want to show the community that we care and we want to do a little for the families," Salvation Army Capt. Darlene Higgins said.

 

She added, "Toys for Tots supplied us with most of the toys. But we also have our program to put tree tags in Big Lots, the Richmond post office and the Pittsfield post office."

 

It is the second year of a partnership with the Christian Center. The Salvation Army collects toys through giving trees and Toys for Tots to give to the younger children while the Christian Center collects the names of teenagers who need presents and finds sponsors to buy the gifts. 

 

"The teens are forgotten and they don't get any gifts. The Christian Center has a teen program. We have people register and we try to have some gifts for the teenagers to open as well," said Cindy Hand of the Christian Center. "Especially if they have a younger sibling. It is hard to explain why they don't have gifts."

 

The Christian Center said more than 150 teens were signed up for the program this year, which is down from previous years.

 

"When we first started there were a lot of teens, over 300. But it dwindled down a bit but it is still a good concept and great idea," Hand said.

 

The Salvation Army's numbers are also down from other years but Higgins said the need isn't decreasing, there are just more groups in the community helping out. 

 

"It is a little less than last year but I feel like more agencies and community things have helped out this year. So they could sign up other places so they didn't necessarily have to come to us," Higgins said. "I think that is the main reason there is a little less than last year."

 

The organization also collected food donations, providing turkeys and children and other staple foods to help with the Christmas dinner.

 

Those who signed up for the program back in the fall now got to visit the West Street Salvation Army to receive food collected by the organization, clothing, and presents. Volunteers helped guide them through the tables, bagging up and carrying everything to their cars. 

 

Higgins said the group will be back on Wednesday and looking to provide for anybody who may have missed out on all of the community programs. 

 

The program is a long-standing tradition for the Salvation Army and one that takes months of planning and organizing. But Higgins said it is all worth it to help the community.