The Salvation Army has set registration dates for local families with young children to participate in the annual Angel Tree program.
Registration for families in Carter County will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Army National Guard Armory, located at 128 Judge Don Lewis Boulevard just off of Highway 91 near the Elizabethton Airport. Hours for registration are from 9 a.m. until noon and then from 1-3 p.m. both days.
Families in Washington and Unicoi counties can register Monday, Oct. 17, through Friday, Oct. 21, at the Appalachian Fair Grounds located in Gray. Hours for those registration dates are also from 9 a.m. until noon and then from 1-3 p.m. on all days.
Tonya Percell with the Salvation Army said the agency asks that no children be present during the registration process.
Participation in the Angel Tree program is open to children who will be 12 or younger at Christmas and is based upon family income.
“It will be the 2016 poverty guidelines,” Percell said.
As an example, she said under the guidelines the qualifying income for a family of four is under $24,250 per year.
“If you just do a search online for 2016 poverty guidelines it will bring all that information up,” Percell said. “It goes from a single person all the way up to a family of eight.”
Those wishing to register a child or children for the program must provide the following items at the time of registration: a photo identification for themselves; proof of the children’s ages (birth certificate, shot record, or current TennCare/BlueCare Card) which can also count as the child’s identification; proof of income; proof of expenses (bill); proof of address (bill); and if the family receives food stamps they must bring a food stamp letter with them.
“It’s the same requirements as in the past,” Percell said.