On Monday, case workers from different veterans agencies around the Central Coast met at A La Carte in Santa Maria, collecting donations to distribute to local veterans.
“There were six or seven cars loaded with presents and it just looked like Santa had done his work here,” said Donna Wilson, owner of A La Carte.
The community came together, serving more than 400 veterans and raising around $30,000 to buy gifts for the Veteran Angel Tree Project.
“It was overwhelming with all the donations people gave for veterans and their families. It almost made me cry and you know they were given with love,” Wilson said.
This is the seventh year Welcome Home Military Heroes has hosted the Veteran Angel Tree event.
Normally, the nonprofit is given a list of people in need, but this year, some veterans also reached out to them individually for help.
“So far, I've done one delivery to one family. We will deliver to over a dozen and it's very exciting to be able to do that. We feel like Mr. and Mrs. Claus doing that,” said volunteer Vanessa Tolan.
Tolan helped deliver the gifts to veterans' doorsteps.
“It's a hard time for a lot of people but it was nice to give and have the kids be able to open gifts. Even though it's hard when parents struggle, it's nice to have something under the tree,” Tolan added.
The nonprofit works with local veteran organizations to identify veterans who are in need. They also partner with local retail organizations to host an angel tree.
Names of veterans and what they asked for are written on a tag and hung on the angel tree so community members can pick up a tag, buy the present, and bring it back, unwrapped.
“It’s something we can do selflessly to help our veterans and that's the gift,” Tolan said.
