DALLAS—Nearly 4,000 families served by The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program will enjoy a full Christmas dinner this holiday season thanks to the teamwork of the Dallas Cowboys, Bank of America, the North Texas Food Bank and The Salvation Army DFW Metroplex Command.
Tuesday marked the launch of the collaboration, with more than 100 volunteers from Bank of America and the Cowboys – including former Cowboys great Daryl Johnston, members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and mascot Rowdy – gathering at the North Texas Food Bank to begin packaging the thousands of pounds of pantry items.
"Our purpose is to help those who really need it, and combining Bank of America's passion to end hunger and ours for the work of The Salvation Army, what a great opportunity to do just that," said Cowboys executive vice president and chief brand officer Charlotte Jones Anderson.
With the Cowboys having partnered with The Salvation Army and supporting its Angel Tree program for more than 17 years, Anderson said it was exciting to see the program enhanced with an added effort to tackle hunger this Christmas.
"This is our favorite season at the Cowboys because it really gives us a chance to give back and give directly to those families The Salvation Army helps," she said. "And this year, how special that with help from Bank of America and the North Texas Food Bank, we're able to not only provide Christmas gifts and needs through Angel Tree, but also give a great Christmas meal to thousands of people who need it most."
Johnston, who added his own contribution to the Cowboys' and Bank of America's donation for the project, said he was "blown away" by the efficiency of Tuesday's volunteers. The group surpassed their packaging quota by nearly 2,000.
"It's amazing what happens when you get these entities out here together," Johnston said. "The Dallas Cowboys with their recognition and visibility, Bank of America and their great campaign for community service, the Food Bank and the Army and what they do for people during the holidays, it's amazing what they can accomplish."
The Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts and other essentials for nearly 60,000 children and special need senior citizens in the DFW Metroplex alone. On a select date in December when families pick up their items at the Dallas Angel Tree Distribution Center, Cowboys and Bank of America volunteers will roll out once again to hand out both the Angel Tree items, as well as a full spread of chicken, rice, beans, corn, peas and dessert, bringing the holiday experience full circle for many of these families.
