Angel Tree program helps Charlotte couple from the Congo with kids’ Christmas gifts
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Empty Stocking Fund
Charlotte Observer readers contribute to the fund, which helps with expenses for the Salvation Army’s angel tree program.
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Jully Nsiamfumu moved from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa to Charlotte in 2014 under the Diversity Visa Program, an initiative to bring applicants to the U.S. from countries with low immigration numbers here.
“You’re supposed to have someone to welcome you into the United States,” said Nsiamfumu, 38. “I had a friend here (in Charlotte.)”
Nsiamfumu and his wife, 33-year-old Irene Landu, and their three children live in East Charlotte in a house they own. Nsiamfumu has worked in the chip plant at the Campbell Soup Company for six years.
Landu is also from the Congo. She’s a machine operator for Lion Services Inc., a military combat gear manufacturer. During COVID1-9 and while Landu was pregnant, she was unable to work. It put a strain on their finances.
The couple heard about The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Angel Tree program from friends. Nsiamfumu registered their children — Hope, 5; Julia, 4; and Seth, 18 months — for Angel Tree program.
They are one of about 2,600 families from Mecklenburg and Union Counties in this year’s Angel Tree program. It is one of The Salvation Army’s most popular efforts, and matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas. Senior citizens and people with disabilities also receive gifts.
More than 6,000 children will receive gifts. In cases where donors don’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund, which the Observer has sponsored since about 1920.
Money raised by last year’s Empty Stocking Fund permitted the Salvation Army to purchase more than 11,000 toys for children and 1,741 gift cards for seniors in the Silver Bells program. An additional 821 gift cards were distributed to agencies serving foster children and children and adults with disabilities.
This year, over 8,300 children, seniors and people with disabilities will receive gifts through funds from the Empty Stocking Fund.
What the kids want
Nsiamfumu and Landu’s daughter, Hope, added princess dolls, a scooter and a bike to her Angel Tree list.
Hope’s little sister, Julia, copied her big sister’s list. Seth’s requests included toy cars, shoes and a bike. The presents will make the holiday season special, Nsiamfumu said, and allow the family to enjoy time together.
More than 6,000 children registered to receive toys and clothes through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program this year. The child’s family also receives a $25 food gift card.
‘Time for celebration’
On Christmas Eve, family and friends are a priority for Landu and Nsiamfumu.
They start their day by attending service at Mont Carmel International Christian Center, where they have been members since 2015. After church, they head home to cook traditional African foods such as fumbwa, a wild spinach, and fufu, a dough made from boiled and pounded food crops such as cassava and plantains.
Friends from church, many of whom are also from the Congo, visit and share in the feast. Calling family in the Congo is an important part of the day.
Rumba Lingala, a popular music genre in the Congo, plays all day, adding to the festivities.
“Christmas is a time for celebration,” Nsiamfumu said. “We use the time to enjoy.”
Seeking help
People in the Charlotte community reach out to The Salvation Army for a variety of reasons, said Major Wilma Mason, area commander for The Salvation Army.
Some are unable to pay a mortgage or rent due to an illness or job loss. Although asking for help is not something someone imagines having to do, they know The Salvation Army is a place to get their needs met.
Mason has been with The Salvation Army for eight years. Since 2020, she and her husband, Major Todd Mason, serve as area commanders for The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte overseeing eight Boys & Girls Clubs, two homeless shelters and churches in Mecklenburg and Union counties.
Mason’s been involved with the Angel Tree program and the organization’s other Christmas Assistance programs.
The annual toy distribution began Dec. 16 and will last several days at its new location: The first floor of the former Sears store at Carolina Place mall in Pineville.
How to donate
Donate online: EmptyStockingFundCLT.org.
Mail checks to: The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, P.O. Box 31128, Charlotte, NC 28231. Make checks payable to The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte and write “Empty Stocking Fund” in the memo line.
Questions concerning your donation? Call 704-716-2769.
We’ll publish all donors’ names.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 6:10 AM.
