Tag: Empty Stocking Fund

How Charlotte Observer readers bring joy to children around the holidays

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Families are struggling, “particularly in this economy,” Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte Major Andrew Wiley said. “They are struggling to just make ends meet – pay the rent, put food on the table for their kids.”

“And all it takes is one unplanned expense – a car repair, a child gets sick – and then all of a sudden they are just really struggling,” Wiley told The Charlotte Observer in a recent interview.

Then come the holidays.

“ ’Do I pay the rent, do I buy groceries, or do I buy gifts for my kids?’ ” they ask, Wiley said. “I think that’s a real struggle, a real dilemma for a lot of people that we serve.”

The Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary group stuffed stockings with toys and other items for the Angel Tree program. Money from the Observer’s 2024 Empty Stocking Fund campaign bought 4,604 toys for this year’s effort, as well as gift cards for seniors, foster children and adults with disabilities. John D. Simmons For the Observer

Angel Tree and the Observer’s Empty Stocking Fund

The Salvation Army’s annual Christmas programs, and the people who donate and volunteer, are there to help, he said. That’s where the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program comes in. The program matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas, and provides senior citizens with gifts.

In cases where donors don’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund. The Observer has sponsored the fund since about 1920.

In the past seven years, the Empty Stocking Fund has raised over $1 million thanks to Observer readers and their generous spirit. Last year, they gave $118,405.

The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Angel Tree program matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas and provides senior citizens with gifts. In cases where donors didn’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund. John D. Simmons For the Observer

The Angel Tree program is helping 1,600 families in Mecklenburg and Union counties this holiday season, including at least 3,500 children, Salvation Army officials said

Money from the 2024 Empty Stocking Fund campaign also bought 4,604 toys for this year’s effort, as well as gift cards for seniors, foster children and adults with disabilities.

Wiley and his wife, Major Hazel Wiley, are the area commanders of The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte.

Majors Andrew and Hazel Wiley, area commanders of The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte. The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte

“Through our Christmas programs, I like to say to people, we don’t just provide toys for children on Christmas morning. We provide joy for those parents,” Andrew Wiley said. “Because they are able to see their children wake up on Christmas morning to gifts under the tree that otherwise wouldn’t be there.”

For people buying gifts for the Angel Tree program, Wiley suggests items they’d purchase for their kids.

Still not sure?

“Hit that toy section, and you’re going to see what the latest things are.” Wiley said. “But usually things that are interactive, things that are educational in nature. Certainly clothing. And then we have seen several requests this year (for) sensory toys for children with disabilities.”

About 40 members of the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Women’s Auxiliary stuffed stockings with toys and other items for the Angel Tree program. In cases where donors don’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund. John D. Simmons For The Charlotte Observer

Over 3,500 kids will get gifts

The Salvation Army has a new location this year for its Christmas Center, at 4300 South Blvd., near where parents who registered for the program picked up gifts for their children last year.

Toys were delivered to the center the week of Nov. 17.

“We’ll have 3,500 or more children that we’ll provide Christmas for,” Wiley said. “That’s a huge volume, so just trying to have the resources to make all of that happen” is a challenge.

The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Angel Tree program is helping 1,600 families in Mecklenburg and Union counties this holiday season, including at least 3,500 children. John D. Simmons For the Observer

“We’ll do roughly 1,700 seniors, provide Christmas for them as well,” he said. “When you look at all we’re trying to do, it’s resourcing it in a time when things are tight for a lot of people.”

Community backing “really does make a huge difference,” he said.

“If ever there’s a time we need them to support the Empty Stocking Fund, it’s now,” Wiley said. “Things have just been really tight. The economy has gone through the roof. Everything is so expensive. We just see a lot of families struggling.”

Helping them is his greatest joy, he said.

“The joy … that I can wake up on Christmas morning, sit down in my recliner and know that children across our area are waking up to gifts under the tree because of the work that we’ve done, the support that the community has given us and allowed us to do that work.

“Some people might say, ‘well, it’s just a toy,’ ” he said. “You’re providing a gift that will last a lifetime.”

“If ever there’s a time we need them to support the Empty Stocking Fund, it’s now,” Salvation Army Major Andrew Wiley said about community donors. John D. Simmons For The Charlotte Observer

How to donate to the Empty Stocking Fund

To donate online, visit Empty Stocking Fund CLT.org.

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

Questions concerning your donation? Call 704-334-4731.

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November 25, 2025
‘It makes my heart grow.’ Wells Fargo worker on his 14th year with Angel Tree program

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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.”

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.

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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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December 14, 2022