GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — For the last 30 years, WOOD TV8 and the Salvation Army have teamed up to help provide the joy of the holiday season to kids and families in need. Now in year 31, you and your organization can help provide the miracle of Christmas morning for a child.

Sign up to host an Angel Tree now. Anyone can host, businesses, churches, or service organizations — it’s as easy as registering online and making it a Merry Christmas for a young boy or girl.

New this year, organizations can host a virtual Angel Tree. The online option was created with the expectation that store foot traffic and in-office business attendance will be reduced this holiday season because of the pandemic but the need for kids and families will once again rise. The virtual tree will link to an online wishlist for a local child.

“A smile and the feeling of joy on Christmas morning are what the Angel Tree Toy Drive has been able to deliver for three decades,” WOOD TV8 Community Affairs Director Casey Jones said. “We are grateful to be a part of a community where organizations like the Salvation Army and other participating businesses find new ways to take it upon themselves and provide that feeling to kids and families each year.”

The goal is to reach at least 600 area sites, either online or in-person, to serve the increased need this year. The Angel Tree Toy Drive reaches kids from Alma, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Holland and Kalamazoo to Muskegon and Sturgis.

Last year, in an unprecedented Angel Tree Toy Drive, nearly 55,000 toys were given to almost 30,000 kids in those areas.

“We are very thankful for WOOD TV8’s longstanding support and help in making sure we are able to come alongside local children and families who need it during the holiday season,” said Maj. Glen Caddy, divisional commander. “We are excited about the online option this year and we encourage those who are in a position to host an Angel Tree, to please consider the difference it makes in our community.”

In 30 years together, WOOD TV8 and the Salvation Army have helped more than 500,000 children wake up Christmas morning with a toy to unwrap under the tree. Find out more about how to host and help here.