BENTONVILLE -- Sometimes Santa takes mysterious forms. In Bentonville on Friday, 230 volunteers stuffed large boxes full of presents, food and necessities into the cars of more than 1,000 families.
Sharing & Caring of Benton County provided clothing, shoes, toys and everyday household items with the help of sponsors and local donors. About 4,066 children in Northwest Arkansas will wake up Christmas morning with a present to open, a traditional holiday meal to eat and with all their basic needs met.
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Sharing & Caring secures money for many of the Christmas donations by hosting several charity events throughout the year. For more information, see sharingandcaringkid….
Source: Sharing & Caring of Benton County
"We're so fortunate to have many volunteers, some of them arrived at four this morning," said Irene Medrano, executive director of Sharing & Caring, as she orchestrated the drive-through line of beneficiaries. Families line up outside the Benton County Fairgrounds long before the gates open at 7:30 a.m. so they can collect the donated items and still make it to work and school on time.
The large number of beneficiaries means some have to wait hours. Volunteers expected to distribute gifts and necessities until at least 2 p.m.
Charlotte Goff, a grandmother to 12 children who raises three of them -- ages 8-12 -- in her home, got to the fairgrounds at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. She's one of the many beneficiaries who waited in their vehicles overnight to be near the front of the line.
The donations help defer the expense of raising children, Goff said. Having an extra bottle of dishwashing soap, a Tyson chicken to roast, a pie and a couple of sides to make on the holiday goes a long way, she said.
"It's a tremendous help, especially when you're self-employed," said Fang Yang, a father to three daughters.
His children are at the age where they're asking for iPads, laptops and other electronics, which are expected items for homework and often seen as a given when playing with friends.
"It's hard to keep up with that" on a budget, but the Sharing & Caring event helps alleviate the financial burden, he said.
Medrano said many of the families receiving gifts are found with the help of school counselors and social workers, who have a better idea of the needs in their community. Sharing & Caring volunteers do interviews with the families during October to assess their financial need and determine if the family was receiving assistance from the Salvation Army or some other organization. The process ensures the best use of sponsors' donations, Medrano said.
Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and Kimberly-Clark are among the many sponsors donating products for the event.
Sarah Semrow, a Kimberly Clark board member and Kimberly-Clark employee, stood in the volunteer line with her hands full of toilet paper, paper towels and Kleenex, ready to serve the next car. Semrow said as they load each car with presents, the look on children's faces is priceless and keeps her coming back year after year.
Lou Salvatore and Jamie Morgan, both of Sun Products, said volunteering the past five or six years has always been a good way to get in the holiday spirit.
"It's just a great team-building exercise," Salvatore said. He likes to bring his children along when shopping for items to give to the families in need. "They get to see that they're excited to get a blanket" and other basic items.
"It really puts things in perspective" for them, Morgan said.
NW News on 12/10/2016