WASHINGTON — Every year, the Salvation Army runs a program called Angel Tree, where people buy holiday gifts for children whose families cannot afford them. But this year in the D.C. area, some federal workers who signed up to be Angel Tree sponsors have had to drop out after the government shutdown caused them financial hardship of their own.

The holiday assistance program employs volunteer sponsors and helps children up to 12 years old. Children write wish lists, and sponsor elves, as the Salvation Army calls them, go buy new clothes, shoes, toys or gift cards. In the D.C. region, the program supplies holiday gifts for around 1,200 children.

"Especially this year, The Salvation Army is serving more working families who never expected to need help and now cannot keep up financially du

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