The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties announces the last day for families to register for its annual Christmas Cheer program is Monday, November 18. Registration for this holiday assistance program will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at The Salvation Army, located at 10291 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. For additional information, call (239) 278-1551.
Christmas Cheer is a community wide effort and is The Salvation Army’s largest outreach event each year. The Christmas Cheer program is funded by donations raised during The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, which begins in mid-November. The first three days this year brought over 1,200 people to register for help. Day one, people began lining up as early as five a.m. to wait in line. By the time doors opened the line stretched around the building, and by the end of the first day, 607 people had been served. 40% of those that have requested help this Christmas have never asked for help before.
To register, adults will need a photo ID AND proof of residency in Lee County, such as a lease agreement or utility bill. People registering their children will need to bring proof of birth date for each child (toys are provided for children 12 and under). All applicants will need to provide proof of income and benefits. Applications cannot be accepted without this information. Parents are discouraged from bringing their children to registration.
Families can begin to receive assistance from the Christmas Cheer program on Saturday, December 14th. On this day, there will be a ribbon cutting for the Christmas Cheer Center when families can begin to receive toys and food. The Christmas Cheer Center will continue to distribute these items the following week on December 16-20th.
The Salvation Army is in need of volunteers for this final registration day, especially those that speak Spanish. For registration information, or to volunteer to assist with applications or holiday bell ringing, contact The Salvation Army’s offices at (239) 278-1551.
About The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry and Glades
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter for the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Over ninety cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in Lee, Hendry and Glades counties. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyleecounty.org. The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry and Glades is proud to be a United Way partner agency. To learn more, contact The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry and Glades at (239) 278-1551 or visit their website at: www.salvationarmyleecounty.org. The Salvation Army, we transform lives everyday.
