Charlotte Area Command Maximizes Angel Tree Program

Corn Flakes.  Silly Putty.  The Slinky.  Post-it Notes.

Care to guess what these items have in common?  The answer may surprise you.

They were all created unintentionally.  In each case, the inventor was trying to make something else initially, but found value and opportunity in what they stumbled upon.

However, this phenomenon isn't restricted to breakfast cereals, toys, and office supplies.

Last year, when Charlotte Area Command was registering families for their yearly Angel Tree program, they also saw an opportunity.  An opportunity to take prayer requests from families registering their children for toys.  These prayers were for essentials like health, housing, and better paying jobs.

Major Larry Broome, Charlotte Area Commander, knew that it was time to help these families — beyond just free toys for the holidays. 

Their solution?  Hold a job fair at the same time as Angel Tree registration.  So this year, they brought in representatives from half a dozen area companies, so clients could apply for a job alongside registering for Angel Tree.  As a result, over 6,000 families with more than 10,000 children will benefit from the program this season — now that’s killing two birds with one stone!

What are some unintentional opportunities you could be using to serve your neighbors in need?  Have you identified the “Corn Flakes” resources in your community?  Let us know! We’d love to feature your inventive ideas (and how they came about) in a future Ringer issue!