Mother-daughter duo teams up to bring Christmas to Kingwood families affected by Harvey

KINGWOOD, Texas – A movement has begun in the Kingwood area.

Heather Mangels and her 13-year-old daughter, Ariella Brown, are collecting Christmas décor to give to those families impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

“They have bigger issues at hand. A lot of the families that have come and requested decorations from us are living without appliances right now, living in campers in their driveways, hotels,” Mangels said.

About two weeks ago, the mother-daughter team created a Facebook page to gather donations and connect with families in need.

“I expected a couple of boxes of ornaments, some stockings that people weren’t using, a strand of Christmas lights that I’m going to have to put a fuse in,” Mangels said.

PHOTOS: Christmas decorations donated to Kingwood families affected by Harvey

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, they’ve received gently-used pieces, brand-new items and even some decorations that hold a special meaning to their owners.

“One of the things that people are so sad about losing are those handmade ornaments, those precious memories that you can’t buy at Walmart. And to have people in the community share their memories with others, it’s special,” Mangels said. “They tell me this was my son’s or this was given to me by my grandmother, and to turn around and hand over your memories to be someone else’s new memories, it’s amazing.”

So far, they’ve connected with about 25 families who can use some holiday help but they say they’re ready to help more.

If you or someone you know can use their assistance, you can reach out to them through their Facebook page.

Likewise, if you would like to donate to their cause, you can reach out through that same page.

They said their biggest need right now is Christmas trees, especially trees made to be on a table, as many families do not have a place for a standard 6-foot tree.

They would also like to get more ornaments and outdoor decorations.

To see some of what they have so far, check out our photo gallery of their growing collection.

I've got a story to get you into the seasonal spirit! Christmas for Kingwood is an effort started only about two weeks ago by a woman and her family. They want to make sure Harvey affected families in the area have some holiday decor to brighten up their Christmas. Check it out!

Posted by FOX 13's Chip Brewster on Friday, November 17, 2017