If you’re shopping an Angel Tree at Walmart or Sam’s Club this year, there’s one more thing to do before you leave the store: scan the QR code after you drop off your gifts.
For its 2026 campaign, Walmart says it will donate $10 to The Salvation Army after shoppers return their gifts, scan the designated code and confirm their participation. These additional donations are capped at $1 million overall.
How to take part
The Salvation Army’s November 9, 2026 announcement lists November 14 through December 14 for Angel Trees at participating Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs.
- Confirm a participating location. Check with your local Salvation Army before heading over to find out which Walmart stores or Sam’s Clubs are taking part. The official Angel Tree page can help you find your local unit.
- Choose a tag and shop its wish list. Check the sizes, requested items and return instructions before buying.
- Bring the gifts back unwrapped. Use the designated collection point and follow your location’s instructions.
- Scan the designated QR code and confirm. Do this when you return the gifts to unlock Walmart’s additional donation, subject to the campaign’s overall cap.
The locator currently mentions November 15 for collection bins, while the dated announcement lists a November 14 campaign start. Check your location’s tag and collection instructions before heading over.
You can already shop online
If an online order works better, the campaign’s online Angel Tree window runs October 12 through December 14. You can use the same official locator to find a local Salvation Army unit’s Walmart Spark Good Registry, choose requested gifts and have them shipped directly to that unit.
The announced $10 QR-code step is tied to returning gifts in person. The online registry is a separate way to help, so don’t assume an online purchase automatically triggers it.
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