An empty warehouse in for sales has turned into a one stop holiday shop for families in need.

That's where the Salvation Army is operating its Angel Tree program, providing families with meals and Christmas presents.

Growing up, my family, we really didn't have a lot and we ourselves went through the Angel Tree program.

It lit my eyes.

So I remember as a kid, you know, and of course, as a kid, I didn't know we were going through the Angel Tree program and we just thought our parents were putting Christmas presents under a tree.

And that's pretty much the premise here.

The Salvation Army Angel Tree program began around 1979 when we began distributing gifts.

We've given approximately more than 3 to 6 million gifts throughout this time, not just Lexington, but overall in the United States.

This program is being done now all over the world as well by the Salvation Army in Lexington itself.

About two months ago, those who were needy, who were looking for toys for their children, came and applied.

We worked out the system with them.

They are now coming here every day and they're picking up toys for their children.

The donors who are looking to give gifts pick up the tags, the angel tree tags, and they get buy gifts for those children and then they bring them here or at our mall or at the service centers, and we match the child with the toys and give them for Christmas.

We're looking at feeding about 700 to 800 people.

We'll be helping out 5000 children.

There is a great need for programs like this.

There are a lot of families who are struggling, you know, and it is not because of maybe decisions that they've made.

Life happens to all of us.

And so, you know, we in this line of work encounter a lot of people who need programs such as the Angel Tree Assistance, just to kind of help them get through.

You know, maybe the parents are focused on paying bills or trying to keep lights on or putting food on the table.

And so having the community to pitch in and provide Christmas gifts is a huge help and a huge burden taken off of some families.

You could be well-to-do and all of a sudden you lose a job and you're looking at a different situation altogether, hard circumstances.

And we see many people who are doing well, but it's not difficult.

And just meeting ends meet.

And so we step in and assist them.

Some day it's them.

Some day it could be another person.

And then those who are being helped.

Three years ago, five years ago, they come and help us.

Today we have a family here with at least five people who were helped many years ago.

When I was a young child.

We participated in this program and now I'm fortunate to be able to donate the time back.

I can draw back on that time and it allows me to have more compassion to the individuals that I serve because it was something that I went through.

And so I would say, you know, use your story and your experience to help encourage someone else to help put a smile on someone else's face.

You know, sometimes we go through hard times, we go through unfortunate times, sometimes are not just for us.

Sometimes those times are, you know, to help someone else know that, hey, I've been through it and you can get through it, too.

And so, you know, during this Christmas holiday and this season, we just share those experiences and share the hope that things will get better.

The Angel Tree program began in 1979, and that time it's provided 11 million Christmas gifts to child