"Angel Tree" type gifts; fewer & more expensive, or more but cheaper?

[VAfamily1998]

The way you explain it is very understandable; it makes a lot of sense to manage the needs with the available resources. Thank you for participating in this work.

It is a little heart-rending though to think of the gifts one has lovingly chosen for what they imagine to be a specific child, being distributed in some other way. I've heard some charities actually make up general profiles to hang on the "wish trees" rather than use actual individuals. I'm not sure I think it's wrong exactly, but somehow it does seem a little disingenuous.

OP here
Thanks, I am feeling a bit sad at that thought! Since it's online and I can see all of the children and their wishes, I looked it over and no one else has the same pants size as the young man I chose, and only one other has the same shirt/jacket size. So hopefully he will receive the clothes I bought him.
The gift cards I intend to get him will be for some local fast food places like Chipotle. This organization serves residents of a specific neighborhood, so I know which restaurants are close by.
His requests were for: Jacket, jeans, shirts, gift card, soccer ball--in that order, so I'm guessing that's the order of importance.

So far I got him
-The North Face Junction jacket (I was able to combine sale/rewards points to get this at a very reasonable price)
-Jeans from American Eagle (there is a store in our local mall which is close by to the neighborhood)
-flannel shirt from American Eagle

I'm thinking of getting him a couple more shirts and the fast food GC. It sounds like if I get a soccer ball there is a good chance it will end up going to someone else (MANY kids on the list asked for soccer balls) but since no one else has his pants size and only one has his shirt size, getting him clothes increases the chances they won't distribute it to someone else.
There is a Walmart in very close proximity to the neighborhood so I had thought of getting him that, but it sounds like there is a strong possibility it would be used by the organization to buy general gifts for everyone.

 

[luvsJack]

With our organization the gift cards are used to buy gifts that are missing like the 13 year old. We have age groups we work on. Sometimes the teens do get gift cards because they are hard to buy for, but they all would get the same amount. And possibly that sweater or token gift.

But there are some families that get sponsored, this means they take on the whole family. This family gives a list of wishes.

I know Salvation Army does this as will. You can’t guarantee all the gifts will go to the one person but they try too. Depends how much comes in ,or what they may have left from last year.

We set up like a store and the parents come in and choose from what is collected so that they might get what there child likes. We usually go shopping a few days head of the one daily they come in to fill in the gaps. The one I volunteer for the stuff comes from our schools, they are giving a family with ages and if mom and dad. Or just mom to each class and we sort it for days.

Now saying all that I don’t know how this one is run. Maybe he will get what she gives.

Thanks for answering. On one hand, I am glad they do something to make sure all the kids get something but on the other, it’s hard to think that the gifts picked out may not go to the child one chose. It makes me wonder if donating gift cards to the organization wouldn’t be the best way to help.


As for the OP’s question, if it was me, I would get the 13 year old too, since they are siblings. It would mean spending less on each but i would know that something would be bought for each. I wouldn’t go to Walmart or Target but maybe find something between those two and, say, Under Armor. It may take a bit more foot work but there are so many sales going on right now, that name brands can be gotten for really good prices, sometimes less than Walmart. Is there an outlet mall near you? Nike outlet is always a go to. Nike brand for really great prices.

If I decided to go with a gift card, I wouldn’t do Wal-Mart or Target. But perhaps one from whatever the popular store with teens in your area. My only issue with gift cards would be I would want it to be enough to purchase at least a shirt or hoodie and jeans. I wouldn’t do Wal-Mart or Target because I would want to be sure the kid was able to use the card for themselves.

If I knew this organization did work like the pp described, I think I would get each one a nice hoodie (just because that’s what most teens here still want, it may be different in your area) and either a VISA gift card or a general one from the mall for each of them. Just because that way it would be easier for the organization to use if they needed to.

 

[luvsJack]

OP here
Thanks, I am feeling a bit sad at that thought! Since it's online and I can see all of the children and their wishes, I looked it over and no one else has the same pants size as the young man I chose, and only one other has the same shirt/jacket size. So hopefully he will receive the clothes I bought him.
The gift cards I intend to get him will be for some local fast food places like Chipotle. This organization serves residents of a specific neighborhood, so I know which restaurants are close by.
His requests were for: Jacket, jeans, shirts, gift card, soccer ball--in that order, so I'm guessing that's the order of importance.

So far I got him
-The North Face Junction jacket (I was able to combine sale/rewards points to get this at a very reasonable price)
-Jeans from American Eagle (there is a store in our local mall which is close by to the neighborhood)
-flannel shirt from American Eagle

I'm thinking of getting him a couple more shirts and the fast food GC. It sounds like if I get a soccer ball there is a good chance it will end up going to someone else (MANY kids on the list asked for soccer balls) but since no one else has his pants size and only one has his shirt size, getting him clothes increases the chances they won't distribute it to someone else.
There is a Walmart in very close proximity to the neighborhood so I had thought of getting him that, but it sounds like there is a strong possibility it would be used by the organization to buy general gifts for everyone.

Oh! You were posting while I was! Sounds like you are doing a great job! A fast food GC is a great idea!

 

[sksjasams]

OP here
Thanks, I am feeling a bit sad at that thought! Since it's online and I can see all of the children and their wishes, I looked it over and no one else has the same pants size as the young man I chose, and only one other has the same shirt/jacket size. So hopefully he will receive the clothes I bought him.
The gift cards I intend to get him will be for some local fast food places like Chipotle. This organization serves residents of a specific neighborhood, so I know which restaurants are close by.
His requests were for: Jacket, jeans, shirts, gift card, soccer ball--in that order, so I'm guessing that's the order of importance.

So far I got him
-The North Face Junction jacket (I was able to combine sale/rewards points to get this at a very reasonable price)
-Jeans from American Eagle (there is a store in our local mall which is close by to the neighborhood)
-flannel shirt from American Eagle

I'm thinking of getting him a couple more shirts and the fast food GC. It sounds like if I get a soccer ball there is a good chance it will end up going to someone else (MANY kids on the list asked for soccer balls) but since no one else has his pants size and only one has his shirt size, getting him clothes increases the chances they won't distribute it to someone else.
There is a Walmart in very close proximity to the neighborhood so I had thought of getting him that, but it sounds like there is a strong possibility it would be used by the organization to buy general gifts for everyone.

Great choices, OP! I'm sure he will love what you chose!

 

[NAB]

OP here
Thanks, I am feeling a bit sad at that thought! Since it's online and I can see all of the children and their wishes, I looked it over and no one else has the same pants size as the young man I chose, and only one other has the same shirt/jacket size. So hopefully he will receive the clothes I bought him.
The gift cards I intend to get him will be for some local fast food places like Chipotle. This organization serves residents of a specific neighborhood, so I know which restaurants are close by.
His requests were for: Jacket, jeans, shirts, gift card, soccer ball--in that order, so I'm guessing that's the order of importance.

So far I got him
-The North Face Junction jacket (I was able to combine sale/rewards points to get this at a very reasonable price)
-Jeans from American Eagle (there is a store in our local mall which is close by to the neighborhood)
-flannel shirt from American Eagle

I'm thinking of getting him a couple more shirts and the fast food GC. It sounds like if I get a soccer ball there is a good chance it will end up going to someone else (MANY kids on the list asked for soccer balls) but since no one else has his pants size and only one has his shirt size, getting him clothes increases the chances they won't distribute it to someone else.
There is a Walmart in very close proximity to the neighborhood so I had thought of getting him that, but it sounds like there is a strong possibility it would be used by the organization to buy general gifts for everyone.

All those sound lovely. Since they say a certain size maybe it will go to him. Maybe you are sponsoring this one child I can’t say for sure.

I was shocked at first when I found out how it works. Thank you for picking an older child. Everyone goes for the babies because they are easy.

Our kids also get more than large gift, they get a puzzle, books, a few crafts , lego and a stuff animal . Hats and mittens. We also give dad and mom something . Everything must be new too they deserve that .

 

[VAfamily1998]

All those sound lovely. Since they say a certain size maybe it will go to him. Maybe you are sponsoring this one child I can’t say for sure.

I was shocked at first when I found out how it works. Thank you for picking an older child. Everyone goes for the babies because they are easy.

Our kids also get more than large gift, they get a puzzle, books, a few crafts , lego and a stuff animal . Hats and mittens. We also give dad and mom something . Everything must be new too they deserve that .

Thanks!
My Dh is a Marine and in college was a reservist, so he worked with the Toys for Tots program at that time. He's mentioned that they got tons of stuff for babies and very young kids but nothing really for the older kids. That's one reason why I chose an older kid, but also because my own kids are teens now so I just kind of "identify" with them more.

 

[DisLiss]

This is very different from the angel tree programs I've dealt with, but I like what you wound up buying. It sounds great.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

The way you explain it is very understandable; it makes a lot of sense to manage the needs with the available resources. Thank you for participating in this work.

It is a little heart-rending though to think of the gifts one has lovingly chosen for what they imagine to be a specific child, being distributed in some other way. I've heard some charities actually make up general profiles to hang on the "wish trees" rather than use actual individuals. I'm not sure I think it's wrong exactly, but somehow it does seem a little disingenuous.

I agree. I understand it as well, but it also seems deceitful to me and, TBH, has discouraged me from participating in these types of programs since finding out how they operate. I make charitable donations every year and will continue to do so, but I’ll stick to giving straight cash donations to organizations that are transparent in how they use my money.

 

[ronandannette]

I agree. I understand it as well, but it also seems deceitful to me and, TBH, has discouraged me from participating in these types of programs since finding out how they operate. I make charitable donations every year and will continue to do so, but I’ll stick to giving straight cash donations to organizations that are transparent in how they use my money.

I can totally understand your position and regardless of the cause, cash is of course the resource charities can best make use of. I guess these Christmas wish-type organizations get a better response when donor’s heart-strings are tugged and since it doesn’t seem like there is any actual misappropriation going on, I can personally give them a pass.

That said, I don’t actually participate in any of those myself. Most years we sponsor a family either through work or church and I know for sure they are real people and what we provide is appropriate for their situation and goes directly to them.