MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Gifts like insulated coffee cups, hand warmers and medical supplies can make the holidays bright for people in East Tennessee experiencing homelessness.

The Salvation Army of Blount County said people across the region have the power to make the holidays better for the unhoused population, and is launching a new donation drive for those people this holiday season.

The Giving Tree, similar to the charity's Angel Tree program, allows people to pick tags off a Christmas tree. The tags have gift suggestions, like backpacks and things like ibuprofen, that are helpful to people who don't have a place to live.

"Helping those in need is my heart and my purpose and it's always been no matter where I've been, and there's a great need here," Bobbi Jo Barnes, with the Salvation A

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