ORLANDO, Fla. – This Christmas, one Orlando mother’s story of resilience and hope is inspiring an entire community.
Iris Melendez, a 33-year-old mother of nine, has spent the past few years battling leukemia, beating it, and then getting diagnosed with stomach cancer just this month, all while struggling to provide for her children. But thanks to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, the Melendez family is experiencing the magic of the holiday season.
Diagnosed in 2012, and learning of this new cancer battle, Iris’s life has been turned upside down. Between intensive treatments and caring for her children, her ability to work has been drastically limited. As the holiday season approached, Iris worried she wouldn’t be able to make Christmas special for her kids.
“It gets difficult because you know when you can’t take things, you don’t want to show your kids that you’re crumbling, but you are,” she says. “They don’t need to see that. I don’t want to damage my children’s childhood in any way.”
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That’s when the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program stepped in. The initiative allows community members to “adopt” families in need, donating gifts, clothing, and essentials to help bring holiday cheer to struggling households.
For Iris, the generosity is overwhelming.
“Thank you to everybody for whatever you have done. In the past years, although they might never know that they were helping me, just know that they were helping people like me in my situation or sometimes worst,” she adds. “It’s so needed and helpful, it really is, so please keep on doing it.”
The Angel Tree program has been a cornerstone of the Salvation Army’s holiday efforts for years, helping families facing financial hardships, illness, or other life challenges. In 2024, the need has been greater than ever, with rising costs and unexpected emergencies impacting families across the region.
While the program has already delivered gifts to hundreds of families, donations are still being accepted to help even more people.
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For Iris and her children, this Christmas will be a bright spot in a difficult year, a reminder that even in the toughest times, kindness and compassion can shine through.
If you’d like to support the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program or other holiday initiatives, visit www.salvationarmy.org.
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