North Shore Angels

Ministry Description: North Shore Angels provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged children on the North Shore of Boston. From its origin in 2002, North Shore Angels has grown to supply gifts to over 100 children from homeless, broken, or severely challenged families, primarily in Cape Ann, which has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. This ministry gives church members from across the North Shore an opportunity to work together serve the “least of these”, who are within a 30 minute drive from their own home.

How does it work?

North Shore Angels is designed to allow multiple churches and organizations to work together as a single body for a single annual event, culminating in delivery of gifts to families for Christmas. There are several ways a person can add their effort to add to the larger work going on.

Fulfilling an Angel

The most important and largest task is the individual commitment for a person to “take an Angel”. This Angel is a commitment to fulfill a gift request from one of these children. An Angel is typically a card or decoration that has information about the child and their request for a gift. Once a person takes an angel, they commit to going out and getting that gift for that child, wrapping the gift, and returning it to a collection center at a participating church by a certain date. For those who follow Jesus, we highly recommend praying for the child for whom you are fulfilling the angel.

Delivering Gifts

These enterprising individuals enter into the community, and bring gifts to the homes of the children. The experience of getting in your car, driving to the homes of people you would never have otherwise met, bringing gifts for children who might otherwise receive nothing can be humbling. See the section on “Delivery Stories” (coming soon) to get a flavor of what this experience can be like.

A collaborative effort between multiple churches and schools

North Shore Angels helps to meet needs through the guidance and in cooperation with Cape Ann Interfaith Commission (http://www.capeanninterfaith.org). Maud Warren, director of CAIC has been serving the needs of families and children in Gloucester for many years.

North Shore Angel volunteers come from many churches, including Christ Church of Hamilton & Wenham (where it began), Christ the Redeemer (Danvers), Landmark (Manchester), St. Mary's Episcopal Church (Rockport), St. Paul Lutheran Church (Gloucester).

Starting in 2011, we are working together with the North Shore Collaborative, a group of churches beginning to see the larger picture of many different parts of the body of Christ working together to fulfill what Christ asked all of us to do.

How can you help?

The simplest way to get involved is for an individual or organization is to “ask for an angel” (or several) via email. We would love to meet you, but we know people are busy, and want to make it as simple as possible for you. In your email, either “ask for any angel”, or “ask us to call you” with a phone number and approximate time. If you “ask for any angel”, we’ll choose one for you, and email it to you. If you “ask for a call”, we will call you, and describe what we have available so you can choose.

Print the angel, shop for the gift for your child, wrap it, attach the angel, and drop it off at a collection center.

That’s it!

We have angels available today. Help bring a Christmas gift of clothing to one of the least of these this Christmas.

Contact information:

If you want to help by either “asking for an angel”, or if you want to help deliver, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we will respond quickly, and help you help a child.