Donations Help Provide ‘Joy’ To Kids At Christmas
RISON - With the Christmas season quickly approaching, the Cleveland County Cares organization is gearing up to help children and families in need over the holidays.
Melinda McKnight, director and fundraiser for the organization, joins in for a special episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast with hosts Britt Talent, Douglas Boultinghouse and Roy Phillips.
The episode is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and on clevelandcountyherald.com
McKnight, a former administrator for the Cleveland County Department of Human Services (DHS) office, relies on the assistance of current DHS staff, teachers and church leaders to identify children and families in need.
“We do not take requests from families,” she said. “We depend on referrals.”
McKnight said this allows her team to assist families discreetly without the public being aware of who is receiving help.
McKnight said Carol Dollar helps with reaching out to families to make sure they are open to receiving assistance from Cleveland County Cares.
“Most times people are very receptive and appreciative,” she said. “We’ve had parents that actually break down and cry and say ‘You’re the first person that has ever offered to help me in any way.’”
Over the past several years, the fund has supplied hundreds of children and adults in the county with Christmas presents as well as clothing, food and other necessities of life.
“We started out strictly providing Christmas for needy kids,” McKnight said. “We’ve branched out so much the past few years, we have kids all year round.”
McKnight said the program has helped kids affected by disaster situations, or kids without appropriate clothing for school, and also provides food boxes for kids during the summer months when meals at school are no longer an option.
Looking ahead to this Christmas, McKnight expects there to be a bigger need.
“We spend so much money at one time at the holidays,” she said. “This year is going to be bigger.”
According to McKnight, she has been informed by caseworkers with DHS there are more foster kids at Christmas this year than they have ever had.
Anyone who would like to donate to Cleveland County Cares can do so in person at the Cleveland County Herald office (215 Main Street) in Rison, or by mailing a donation to Cleveland County Cares, c/o Melinda McKnight, 100050 Hwy. 35 North, Rison, AR 71665.
Cleveland County Cares is a nonprofit organization set up under the 501(c)3 charter of the Pioneer Village at Rison, therefore all donations are considered tax deductible.
Checks should be made payable to Pioneer Village, with “Cleveland County Cares” noted in the memo.
According to McKnight, over the years, monetary donations have been received from individuals, banks, businesses, church groups, sororities/fraternities and Extension Homemaker clubs.
“Even the winners of the Cleveland County Christmas Parade have donated their prize money to Cleveland County Cares,” she said.
In addition to donating, there are other ways to support the cause.
The organization will host a pulled pork lunch and dessert auction this Sunday, Nov. 17 at Rison Baptist Church beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Cleveland County Cares will also host a special Christmas Bingo game Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Pioneer Village’s Christmas in the Village festival.
Also during the festival, Boultinghouse will offer holiday photo sessions. A portion of each session will be donated to Cleveland County Cares.
Boultinghouse also assists with the bingo game at the festival.
“We have a lot of fun playing this unique game, and its all for a great cause,” he said. “Melinda of course is the highlight of the game with her… “Christmas trees.’”
McKnight invites the public to join them at the Village for the afternoon.
Leading up to these two fundraisers, Cleveland County Cares had a successful raffle during the Rison in the Fall Festival and is currently selling copies of the Rison Baptist Church cookbook. All proceeds benefit Cleveland County Cares.
When it comes to using the money collected, McKnight takes a special approach to shopping for the kids - she lets kids do the shopping! McKnight said she and those who assist her with the program take a group of kids to Walmart, usually in Camden, or to Little Rock to shop for the kids receiving gifts.
“We don’t tell them who they’re shopping for. We just tell them ages and sizes,” she said.
This process allows the shoppers a chance to give back at the holidays by volunteering their time, but also ensures the person receiving the gift gets something that is in fashion or on trend with everyone else in school.
“We want them to blend in and feel like everybody else,” McKnight said.
Looking back at some of the stories that have touched her heart over the years, McKnight recalled the time she and Dollar took a vehicle full of gifts and supplies to meet a family in Kingsland.
“(The mother) filled the trunk of her car with packages, and had to put stuff in the back seat with the kids. She told the kids, ‘DO NOT LOOK IN THOSE BAGS!’” she said.
“And they were just itching to look in the bags, and they were hanging out the windows going ‘THANK YOU! THANK YOU’ and as they pulled out, in the very back end, in the back glass of the car, was one of the bags.”
On the bag was written the word “Joy.”
McKnight and Dollar looked at one another and said, “That sums it up,” as to why this organization matters, and why they put their hearts into it.
During the podcast, listeners will hear more of McKnight’s stories of helping families in need, as well as cherished memories of the late Bill Gray playing bingo to support Cleveland County Cares.
If anyone would like to get involved with the organization, contact McKnight at (870) 692-2332.