We do all of our donations via each individual class instead of with PTO funds. For example, the first grade class collected $5 a child to buy presents for a needy family and the fourth grade class solicited donations for a homeless shelter.
Shelly
Our PTO is doing something similar to your "angel tree". We had the art teacher draw a tree on black paper and write Christmas wish lists at the bottom of the tree. The tree looked great the way she did it in chalks on the black paper. This is then stuck on an easel and hanging from the bottom are christmas cards. Each card has a childs wish in it. Our school guidance counsselor has filled the bottom of the easel with cards 5 times already in the past 2 weeks.
A PTO member also went to our local Sears dept. store and obtained a large stove box that we wrapped in paper purchased at the dollar store. This box is almost full of toys for the children at our school.
We also donated the gift wrap we recieved as a display item during our fall fundraiser.
After talking to a friend that owns a local business about the many needy children in our community that would probably not get anything for Christmas, so he has decided that next year his company would do a couple of benefit dinners to help raise money for the needy program at school.
The PTA purchased a fake tree that has been used for six years now and still going. They hung the ornaments on it with other decorations and then left the tree up once the tags were gone.
We use about $200 to help fill in gifts and food items for our food and gift drive that goes directly to our families. My concern would be if you hand this familiy money, would needed items be purchased? Would it be possible for the Social worker to take the family to say...WalMart with a gift card and shop for coats and boots. They may not even need the entire amount but it would be money well spent.
Also, what about a coat drive? Yeah, alotof work but another way to help several families.
At our old school we did a wish tree. The needs of the families were put on individual ornaments and parents would come in and purchase the items asked for on the tag and deliver it to the office.
The tree was usually empty the first day and parents were asking the office if there were more. This kept the PTA from having to donate money for items but still allowed us to help the needy families. If for some reason the tags were not taken, the PTA would then purchase the rest of the items on the tags but that never happened.
