ARCADIA, WI – Ashley’s Angels delivered Christmas cheer to 1,356 children across the country last week, providing food, clothing, and toys to children in need. Ashley Furniture (Ashley) trucks, filled with gifts, made deliveries to more than 60 school districts in the communities surrounding Ashley’s manufacturing and distribution facilities in Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. This year, the non-profit organization along with Ashley employees raised $262,081 in support of the program.
The all-volunteer organization worked with local schools - primarily school guidance counselors and nurses - to identify children in need of extra assistance. Every child in the program, along with his or her sibling(s), received winter apparel and shoes (as needed), clothes, a blanket, and a special Christmas present. Each child’s family also received a Christmas dinner.
Ashley’s Angels originated from the passion of one employee wanting to help others in need. That passion has carried on for 20 years, inspiring others throughout our company and our surrounding communities to also participate,
said Todd Wanek, President and CEO, Ashley Furniture Industries. I am so proud of the efforts these volunteers put forth, year-round, and for inspiring others to help spread holiday cheer to those who need it most.
The Ashley’s Angels program was established by an Ashley Furniture truck driver from Mississippi in 1997 after he heard about a girl who was living in a car with her mother. The Ashley driver recruited help from fellow drivers to provide food, clothing, and additional assistance by helping the family find proper housing before Christmas. Seeing the impact their efforts had made in this family’s life encouraged those involved to form Ashley’s Angels.
Each year in December, volunteers line up to shop for the selected recipients. Shoppers are provided a Christmas list with each child’s age, gender, clothing sizes and special interests to shop for. The gifts are then wrapped and loaded onto Ashley trucks and delivered to participating schools for distribution to the families the week before Christmas.
This year was the first-year Ashley’s Angels had a presence in North Carolina. The organization’s fundraising efforts raised $40,000 to support 128 children from 50 families.
In just our first year, we were able to raise $40,000, allowing us to support all six of our local Elementary schools,
said Jessica Tilley, Ashley’s Angels North Carolina. Our volunteers had the humbling experience to make home deliveries to families in our community. I am so grateful for everyone’s support in bringing this program to our area, I look forward to continuing this program for years to come.
Ashley’s Angels encourages anyone interested in volunteering at next year’s shopping event to sign up sign up online Opens in a new window or email info@ashleyangels.org with their contact information.
Ashley’s Angels is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that provides food, clothing, blankets, and special gift requests for children in need each year. The organization has generated over $3,000,000 in donations and benefited more than 20,000 children in Mississippi, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina since 1997. The community patrons of Ashley’s Angels, including local businesses and volunteers, partner with area schools to provide necessities to children who need it most. For more information on Ashley’s Angels and upcoming events, we invite you to visit www.ashleyangels.org Opens in a new window. And for those of you who are interested, we encourage you to volunteer Opens in a new window.
Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. (Ashley) feels that every person deserves more value for their money. Established in 1945, Ashley is the largest manufacturer of home furnishings in the world, and was recently named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes in 2017. From design through fulfillment, Ashley is committed to delivering the world’s best home furnishing values, selection and service, and earning the loyalty and trust of its customers every day. “Like” Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. on Facebook Opens in a new window.