Donations to The Commercial’s Christmas Card Fund have topped $3,500. The annual fund drive has been held since 1987 to help children in need at the area schools.
As of Tuesday afternoon, donors have given $3,644, according to a newspaper spokesman.
Raising funds to help area children has been an on-going effort for The Commercial every year beginning on Thanksgiving Day.
Each year, stories are told about how the funds have helped children and sometimes even their families who have fallen on hard times or had emergencies with no place else to turn for assistance.
School administrators see children everyday who may need winter coats, shoes, eyeglasses or even help paying for much needed prescription medication. That’s when the Christmas Card Fund may be helpful.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
At the end of the year, the Christmas Card Fund is distributed to the Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel, Dollarway and White Hall school districts.
Because there are no administration costs taken out by the newspaper, all proceeds go to the fund then to the districts to be used as needed.
Over the years, donors have been very generous and it’s not just the adults who give. A principal recently discussed how his students were both recipients and givers to the project.
To have your name printed on the Christmas card to be published in the newspaper on Dec. 24, interested donors are asked to give at least $1 by 5 p.m. Dec. 20. Donations may be hand delivered to The Commercial, 300 S. Beech St., or mailed to the Christmas Card Fund, care of The Commercial, P.O. Box 6469, Pine Bluff, AR, 71611.