RISON - With the holiday season fast approaching, the Cleveland County Care Fund is once again accepting donations to help local families in need have a Christmas this year as well as meet other pressing needs they may have.
Malinda McKnight of Rison, a former administrator for the Cleveland County Department of Human Services (DHS) office, said the fund has provided dozens of children and adults in the county with Christmas presents as well as clothing, food and other necessities of life.
From her years with DHS, McKnight said she saw first hand how some people can fall between the cracks despite all the government support programs that are out there. She said she it was not uncommon for all the workers at the DHS office to get together as individuals to help those people who they knew really needed help.
It was that need for help that prompted McKnight to get involved with Cleveland County Cares after she retired.
McKnight noted that the fund is used only for those individuals who have been referred to them by a church, school, the DHS office or some other reputable sources. She said people with those institutions have a greater understanding of those who are really in need, and by addressing referrals only, they can avoid situations where people may be trying to take advantage of charitable causes like the Care Fund.
In addition to providing Christmas, Cleveland County Cares also helps people in other ways people may not expect.
Earlier this year the Cares team was contacted by local officials about a mother and her young children in need of transportation out of state to escape a dangerous situation.
The organization was able to help by providing bus fare for the family.
Cleveland County Cares is exactly what it's name sounds like - an all-volunteer group created of Cleveland County residents who love and care for the people of their community. It is a nonprofit organization set up under the 501(c)3 charter of the Pioneer Village at Rison.
“Cleveland County Cares is one of those organizations that makes our community special,” McKnight said, noting that last year’s donations were the most the organization has ever received.
“I’d love to see that grow even more,” she said. “So that we can do even more for families.”
Cleveland County Cares does more than most people realize, McKnight said. “They work to meet the needs of people in the community who need a little extra help,” she said.
In the past, the group has bought groceries for families in need before their food stamp assistance was established. The fund has also been used to pay utility bills for families whose children were in danger of being removed from the home. Volunteers have conducted food drives and distributed food boxes to families in need. They have purchased clothing items for families in need, and of course, they are most known for providing Christmas for families in need.
With the holiday season arriving soon, Cleveland County Cares is seeing donations, volunteers and/or sponsors.
In the past few years, McKnight said monetary donations have been received from individuals, banks, businesses, church groups, sororities/fraternities and Extension Homemaker clubs. Rison and Woodlawn High School clubs have held food and toy drives, sponsored families at Christmas and even helped with gift wrapping.
“The ways you can help are endless!,” McKnight said.
Anyone interested in donating, volunteering or sponsoring a family or event, please contact Melinda McKnight by calling (870) 692-2332.
Anyone wishing to send send a donation can make checks payable to Pioneer Village with “Care Fund” written in the memo line.
Donations can be mailed to Malinda McKnight, 100050 Hwy. 35 North, Rison, AR 71665.