Matthew Leonard, a volunteer for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, stands in front of donated Christmas gifts last year.

Matthew Leonard, a volunteer for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, stands in front of donated Christmas gifts last year.

Courtesy of Matthew Leonard

It started with just a couple hours in December 2008 helping to get donated gifts ready for Charlotte families. Now 14 years later, Matt Leonard will spend more than 32 hours over four days volunteering to help the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.

“I’ve done every role there,” Leonard, 40, told The Charlotte Observer in a recent interview.

The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte program matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas. In cases where donors don’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund, which the Observer has sponsored since about 1920.

Leonard has worked with families picking up donated gifts at the distribution center, and collected and organized bags for distributing. He’s run the bicycles and large items checks, and loaded gifts in cars.

“I’m available to do anything they need,” he said.

This year, Leonard is taking the reins for organizing volunteers from Wells Fargo, where he’s worked for 15 years. He said there’s never a shortage of colleagues at the bank who are willing to help.

“The slots filled up pretty quick, and then I have people on a wait-list,” said Leonard, lead control management officer at Wells Fargo. He’s also pointed them to volunteer opportunities through the Salvation Army’s website.

That’s how Leonard got started with the Angel Tree program — volunteering through Wells Fargo.

Now he will oversee four-hour shifts, each with five volunteers, over four days distributing presents to families. While Wells Fargo gives employees two days for community service time, Leonard is tagging on two vacation days to volunteer this year.

He’ll be there for distribution starting Friday, Dec. 16, and Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 19-21.

“I’m not a Grinch, but every year it makes my heart grow three times,” he said. “It made me realize the impact on the community.”

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Matthew Leonard has volunteered with the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program for 14 years through his employer Wells Fargo. Bags of donated gifts are in the background in this 2021 photo. Courtesy of Matthew Leonard

Helping others is a family tradition

Leonard grew up in the Akron, Ohio, area in a family that helped at local soup kitchens and even fulfilled the wishes of children hanging on Angel Tree Christmas trees at local churches and businesses. The tags include the age, gender and Christmas wishes for sponsors to fulfill.

Leonard said he didn’t even realize at the time it was a Salvation Army program.

“It’s very easy for me to go out and provide my child entertainment and clothing. But I know for a lot of families it’s not that easy,” Leonard said. “They can’t always afford clothing that fits their child as fast as their child is growing.”

While the community gets an annual reminder about the works of Salvation Army with bell ringers outside businesses, the nonprofit is there for families year-round, Leonard said.

“It’s that time of year when people like to give. It’s something that can be done with time or money, and it’s helping those families that just need that additional help,” he said. “It’s nice to know they (the Salvation Army) exist for families that need this.”

Angel Tree program and Empty Stocking Fund

The 2022 Angel Tree program is helping 2,610 families in Mecklenburg and Union counties this holiday season, representing 6,660 children, according to the Salvation Army. The program also is providing gift cards to 1,716 seniors and 436 people with disabilities.

Last season, Observer readers donated $227,822 to the campaign that helps provide gifts for kids, as well as senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Money raised by the 2021 Empty Stocking Fund campaign allowed The Salvation Army to purchase more than 9,270 toys for this year’s campaign, along with gift cards for seniors, foster children and adults with disabilities.

How to Give

To donate online, visit EmptyStockingFundCLT.org.

To donate by mail, send checks to: The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, P.O. Box 31128, Charlotte, NC 28231. Make checks payable to The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte and write “Empty Stocking Fund” in the memo line.

Anyone who prefers not to adopt an angel can still buy a gift for one on Walmart Registry. Walmart will box and send the gift to The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte.

Questions concerning your donation? Call 704-716-2769.


Catherine Muccigrosso is the retail business reporter for The Charlotte Observer. An award-winning journalist, she has worked for multiple newspapers and McClatchy for more than a decade.

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