LITTLE ROCK — The Salvation Army cut the ribbon on the 2012 Angel Tree at the Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock on Monday morning.
The Angel Tree is decorated with ornaments that describe the gift wishes of needy children in the central Arkansas area.
Donors buy gifts for the children and give them to the Salvation Army, which distributes them to the parents of Angel Tree children.
Arkansas first lady Ginger Beebe read a Christmas story to children from Episcopal Collegiate School before becoming the first to select an angel from the tree.
Maj. Belinda Hill of the Salvation Army said about 3,000 children will be receive Christmas gifts through the Angel Tree program in 2012.
"With the Angel Tree program, the donors are able to provide so much more than what the Salvation Army can provide for the parent to provide for their family for Christmas," Hill said.
"The whole emphasis of the program is to provide support to the parent, so the parent, in turn, can give to their child for Christmas."
Salvation Army Angel Trees will be at the Park Plaza and McCain malls until Dec. 16.