Students, Families Need Your Help

Donations to the Community Christmas Card have reached more than $10,900.

Money from the campaign is given to Northwest Arkansas school districts where it’s used to help needy students.

"It’s a real treat for us each year to sponsor the Community Christmas Card program because it confirms once again that our readers have their hearts in the right place,” said Rusty Turner, editor and publisher of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers. “They always respond when we give them the opportunity to help children who need it the most. We really appreciate what our readers and customers do for these children."

In the Rogers School District last year, money was spent on shoes and clothing, emergency prescriptions or housing or student registration fees for special activities.

Those donations have helped many students, said Janie Darr, Rogers superintendent.

“Sometimes there is nowhere else to turn for help, and we feel so fortunate that in those cases we have these funds to draw on,” Darr said. “They are a gift from the heart to the children in our community.”

Last year, 16 area school districts divided $25,212 in contributions from the Community Christmas Card campaign. Rogers received $2,163.

The Community Christmas Card is a way for readers of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers to help neighbors struggling to make ends meet in the face of catastrophic events. The card will be published on Christmas Day in the Northwest Arkansas Times, Springdale Morning News, Rogers Morning News and Benton County Daily Record.

The card also will be published in the weekly newspapers the following Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the regular publication schedule. 

Readers can sign the card with a minimum $2 donation to the school district of their choice. The money generated by the Christmas Card is divided among the designated school districts in Northwest Arkansas.

Donations must be received by noon Dec. 24 for a name to appear on the Dec. 25 card. However, donations will continue to be accepted through Dec. 31.

“Many of our students are living in poverty,” said Jill McGaughey, social worker in Rogers schools. “Their families cannot afford the essentials for their children to go to school and participate in school activities.”

A new pair of athletic shoes or a participation fee for an activity gives a student an equal opportunity to learn.

The Bentonville School District fills in the needs for students when no other resources are available, said Julie Bachmayer, district social worker.

“This time of year I think of utility assistance for families,” Bachmayer said. “The funds are used to support the basic needs of children so that they can be at school and they can focus on school.”

Bachmayer said it’s “amazing” what a small donation can do for a child.

“They are making a huge difference in these children’s lives,” Bachmayer said. “They really are.”

At A Glance

Community Christmas Card

How To Give

Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 1607 in Fayetteville, AR 72707.

Donations also will be accepted at all NWA Media offices, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday:

•Bentonville: 104 S.W. A St.

•Fayetteville: 212 N. East Ave.

•Rogers: 313 S. Second St.

•Springdale: 2560 N. Lowell Road

Individuals also can donate online at nwaonline.com/christmascard

Source: Staff Report

Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 1607 in Fayetteville, 72707. Contributions also may be dropped off at news offices in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers.

NWA Media partners with Springdale’s Endeavor Foundation to collect and distribute the Community Christmas Card donations. Each contribution is tax-deductible. NWA Media pays the processing fees for the donations so 100 percent of the money collected can be distributed to the schools.

The Endeavor Foundation is a community foundation dedicated to putting generosity to work for Northwest Arkansas. Endeavor manages about 80 restricted funds totaling approximately $140 million, and has awarded more than $65 million in grants in its 14-year history. Contributions are tax deductible.

Upcoming Events