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Carol's Gift: How a Salvation Army baby doll changed the course of a Portsmouth woman's life

Growing up as a young girl, Carol Hernandez didn’t have much.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — This time of year, every year, Carol Hernandez reflects on her success.

The Portsmouth native has had an accomplished career as Vice President of Senior Banking at TowneBank.

She is a wife, mother, and grandmother of two grandchildren, and she considers herself fulfilled and blessed.

It’s a story worth celebrating because growing up as a young girl, Hernandez didn’t have much.

This was long before they called it the Angel Tree program. The Salvation Army not only gave Hernandez a Christmas to look forward to but a job for her mother - a single parent without an education who desperately wanted to provide for her daughter.

DONATE HERE: AngelTreeHRVA.org 

The Salvation Army taught her to read, count money, and most importantly, gave her a purpose.

Carol remembers back to when she was 5 years old, waking up to the red, mesh stocking on Christmas morning, and the anticipation of seeing one gift in particular under the tree.

“I especially remember my doll baby,” said Hernandez. “That was the first gift that I saw.”

Decades later, Hernandez still has that doll. It’s a gift she holds close, not because of material gain, but because of what it represented then, and what it still represents today: her earliest recollection of hope.

“So we could fly away on our own,” said Hernandez. “Like a little bird.”

Hernandez is living proof of the power of giving.

She now leads TowneBank’s Angel Tree campaign in Western Branch every year.

It’s now her purpose. Not just providing gifts, but inspiring the same hope that changed her life years ago.

“We don’t know why they’re in the situation they’re in. That’s not really important," said Hernandez. “What’s important is that that child needs support.”

If you don't have the ability to adopt a name and shop for gifts yourself, you can help this year by donating to the Angel Tree program.

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