There are ten more Thursdays until Christmas, which means a local organization is already gearing up for this coming holiday season.

The DeWitt County Angel Tree Program is led by Sue Calvert, and each year, the organization aims to provide underprivileged youth in DeWitt County with a quality Christmas through donations from the community. Calvert indicates the Angel Tree program has held steady at approximately 500-600 kids.

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Applications for the 2014 Angel Tree recipients is currently underway. According to Calvert, they strive to provide children with more than just toys and dolls. She explains they want to provide kids with shoes, coats, and other basic necessities they may not have.

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While the deadline may seem early, given next week is only the start of November, Calvert explains it takes their partners, mainly churches and business, several weeks to get all the kids adopted.

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The Angel Tree program is a national model for underprivileged children across the country, but Calvert feels the DeWitt County Program is unique the accountability. She explains they go through an extensive process to make sure there the needs of their applicants are real and to make sure they provide assistance to those most in need.

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The deadline for the applications to be turned in is October 31. For further inquiries on the program or application process, contact Calvert via email at suecalvert13@gmail.com.