JACKSONVILLE, Fla — It's not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet, but to make the holiday season merrier for families in need, efforts must start now.
Starting this week, you can apply for Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance from the Salvation Army of Northeast Florida. Duval County families have until Oct. 22 to apply for turkey boxes for Thanksgiving and for their children under 12 to get presents from the Angel Tree program.
"When I was a little girl, about 10 years old, my family was a recipient of the Angel Tree program," said Maj. Candice Biggers with the Salvation Army.
If you're familiar with the Salvation Army in Jacksonville, you probably know majors Candice and Keath Biggers.
"My father was a coal miner and on strike for like two years," Candice Biggers recalled.
She still remembers the details about the Christmas when Salvation Army was Santa to her and her 12 siblings.
"Santa Claus brought it in the middle of the night and surprised us," she said. "We woke up to the gifts all around the living room. It was assigned, like the chair was mine. The sofa was a sister or brother."
Last year 1,000 families were helped by the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving boxes, and 5,000 children got presents through the Angel Tree program.
The organization is now doing more to help Jacksonville's homeless population. Keath Biggers says their Tower Center is at capacity, sheltering more than 100 people. He says two weeks ago, they opened their building on Church and 15th streets as a homeless shelter to help 200 more people.
"The need has increased," Biggers said. "We're seeing more requests for assistance through our social services program with people being evicted."
He says their goal is for the shelter to be a short-term solution.
"Last month we had at least five that was able to move out and become self-sufficient in their own housing," Biggers said.
As many people struggle more, the Biggers family hopes the community will work more to support them.
"Many will be in tears, will hug us, and just 'thank you so much,'" Keath Biggers said. "Really the thanks needs to go to the community."
To celebrate 130 year of helping the homeless population, Salvation Army is hosting free concerts at the following locations:
Thursday, October 14, 2021
11:30 a.m. - Legacy Luncheon
Home of Sally and John Ragsdale
* Exclusive for William Booth Society Members
Friday, October 15, 2021
12:00 p.m. - The Salvation Army Traveling Brass Band Concert
James Weldon Park, 135 W. Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
5:30 p.m. - The Salvation Army Songsters and Traveling Brass Band Reception
The Salvation Army, 900 West Adam Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
Saturday, October 16, 2021
Camp Keystone, 6581 SE 9th Ave., Starke, FL 32091
7:30 a.m. - Spuds and Sprockets Bike Ride, Ticketed Event
11:30 a.m. - Territorial Band and Songsters Open Rehearsals
6:00 p.m. - Complementary Brass Concert and Dessert Social
Christ Episcopal Church, 400 San Juan Dr., Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Sunday, October 17, 2021
10:30am - Community-Wide Worship Service
First United Methodist Church, 225 E Duval St., Jacksonville, FL 32202