Bikers Bring ‘Angel Tree’ to Inmates’ Children
Published: December 27, 2005
Thousands of American kids whose parents are in prison are having a happier Christmas this year. Because Christians are getting involved in the Angel Tree Program. It is a ministry of Prison Fellowship.
This year, the toy drive is getting help from the most unusual people. They came from miles around, to a different kind of ‘road rally.’
Who are ‘they’? 225 leather-clad bikers got together to distribute toys to children whose parents are in prison. They are also volunteers from 5 Dallas-Fort Worth churches teamed up with bikers of the Christian gang known as “Fellowship Riders”.
Jeff Means is President of Fellowship Riders. He explained, “It was a great way to end the year, to be able to do something like this. Where people had to – they just couldn’t write a check, you know. They couldn’t get off that easy. It was time to get out and share the Gospel, share the joy of Jesus.”
Many people get involved in Angel Tree. People from around the country pick a paper angel off special Christmas trees and then donate toys in that child’s name. That’s where the volunteers and bikers come in. They drop off bundles of joy from house to house.
This year was made even more special by the presence of the Starling-Dickerson family. Up until March of this year, William Starling was behind bars and his children were given gifts through the Angel Tree Project.
William Starling is a former prison inmate. He said, “I was overwhelmed by someone else being able to give to my children, when I couldn’t, you know. To be so far distant from them. It was like that was something that brought them to me. And now that we are reunited—it’s amazing!”
Now that they have their father back from prison, the Starling-Dickerson family is “paying it forward” and distributing gifts to other hurting kids.
Other children like the Pokorski kiddos whose mom signed them up for the Angel Tree Program, from prison.
Her daughter Brittany said to us, “It’s alright, because I know that she cares and everything. And that she wants us to have the best Christmas we can, and not really think about where she’s at right now.”
Angel Tree volunteers say: that’s the whole point of the program.
Linda Johnson is an Angel Tree volunteer. She told about her involvement, “We are taking our time to wrap these up, with a lot of love. And like I said, we are the arms that their parents are not, right now. So, we are just taking our time to wrap up our love for them and show them we care.”
Since 1982, Prison Fellowship has reached out to 7½-million children of prisoners, just like Brittany. Prison Fellowship is the only ministry in America to exclusively help kids whose moms and dads are behind bars.
Felicia Shelley is an Angel Tree Field Director in Texas. She explained why they do this, “If you ever go in to a prison and meet some of the inmates, you see the void that they have because of their lack of a relationship with Christ.” She added, “We’re hoping to put hope out there, for the inmates and their families.”
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