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Social Security numbers not needed for Salvation Army gifts

by Associated Press

Posted on December 3, 2009 at 2:09 PM

Updated Thursday, Dec 3 at 2:50 PM

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HOUSTON -- Families signing up their children for The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program in the Houston area will no longer have to give a Social Security number.

Some had seen the practice as a way to check immigration status, but the charity said it was a way to cut down on fraud.

The Christian charity says the number could be a child or parent’s and was enough to register the entire family.

It was used to check if families were going to various Salvation Army centers and registering at each one, said spokesman Juan Alanis. Social Security numbers were never used to verify legal status, the Salvation Army said Thursday.

The charity accepts consular identification cards, school records and birth certificates as forms of ID, Alanis said.

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pval123 said on December 3, 2009 at 4:24 PM

I do not agree with them stopping to obtain SS #'s. It is a system put in place to prevent theft by people going around collecting more than they should. If we bend the rules and laws for every little offended feeling, then what's the point of being a nation of laws?

worldman said on December 3, 2009 at 5:03 PM

There is another article here about a family located in Houston that cannot get into the program to help provide gifts to their children. Part of that reason is because illegals are in the system and taking from Americans. I think a status check is in order aand that illegals should not be allowed in the charity programs. Also report and ship illegals back home.

2papi said on December 3, 2009 at 5:49 PM

I know children are children! ,and all the worlds children deserve gifts, But there are some adults that would take advantage of the programs,and would go to different locations to receive more gifts.It's called being greedy.so I beieve they should have a system in place to keep track of who was there.

afort said on December 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM

Why does every organization insist on violating the laws of our country? Why do we tolerate it? Why are even our charitable organizations involved in crime now? The Salvation Army is now the Mexican Army. They claim to be based upon Christian beliefs, but the Bible teaches to give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and by that Jesus meant that we are to follow the laws of our land. I would not give my car to a guy running out of a bank with a gun in one hand and a bag in the other, just because he "looked like he needed a car". Do not give presents to parents who are conspiring to make their children into criminals! The little kids are criminals, too, and their parents are forcing these kids into criminal activity. Time for CPS to take the kids from them, and eject the parents. Permanently. Where the hell is CPS now? CPS would take a citizen's kids from them in a snap under similar circumstances. Shame on you, Salvation, aka Mexican, Army. You are not alone, either. The Us Governm

raymon said on December 3, 2009 at 10:21 PM

Since I found out on the news that a Salvation Army Officer can't marry out of the system which means that he has to marry another officer, I realized that they are just a cult! How about the Baltimore mayor stealing $1000 in gift certificates from the Christmas fund for children!