Birmingham Gift Drive: Angel Tree Program Returns to Local Malls

Local news organizations often partner with charities during the holiday season to coordinate gift drives for children in poverty. On Nov. 4, 2026, WBRC 6 News in Birmingham, Alabama, announced its continued partnership with the Salvation Army for the Angel Tree program.

The initiative aims to purchase clothing, toys, and gifts for foster children and other minors in the region. Donors can contribute financially or select specific children to support through physical and digital channels. The Salvation Army Greater Birmingham Area Command will use all funds to buy requested items for participating families.

Participants have four distinct methods to contribute to the drive. First, individuals can visit The Outlet Shops of Grand River or The Riverchase Galleria to physically adopt an Angel from the display tree. This in-person option is available from Nov. 13 through Dec. 4, 2026. Second, the network offers an online platform where users can select and adopt Angels starting Nov. 13. This digital option remains open until every listed child has been matched with a donor.

Third, the program includes a drop-off system for new, unwrapped toys and gifts. Donors can leave these items at any participating Chick-fil-A location in the area between Nov. 13 and Dec. 4, 2026. This option, labeled as Forgotten Angels, allows for anonymous or low-effort giving. Fourth, individuals can make direct financial donations to support a child or family without selecting a specific child in advance.

Volunteers also play a central role in the operation. The Salvation Army described volunteers as the Army behind the Army. They are essential to the logistics of the campaign, which uses the hashtag #DoingTheMostGood. Organizations or individuals interested in serving can register through the program's website.

The Angel Tree program originated in 1979 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Majors Charles and Shirley White of the Salvation Army created the concept while working with a local shopping mall. They wrote children's gift wishes on Hallmark greeting cards featuring angel pictures and hung them on a Christmas tree for shoppers to select. More than 700 children received gifts that first year. Three years later, the Whites moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where WSM radio became the first co-sponsor in the United States. Airtime on the Grand Ol' Opry and national coverage on CNN and the Larry King Show spread the program's reach across the country.

WBRC has a long history with local toy drives. In 1998, the station partnered with the Department of Human Resources to collect toys for foster children in Jefferson County. The formal partnership with the Salvation Army began in 2007, establishing the current WBRC and Salvation Army Angel Tree structure. The local network states that community support has enabled the program to assist thousands of children annually.