MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — In its 20th year, Christmas Cash for Kids organizers set a lofty goal of $75,000 to make Christmas brighter for children in the Eastern Panhandle.
On Wednesday’s Christmas Eve edition of Panhandle Live, we got an update on whether that goal was met.
“We went $14,000 over,” board member Mary Beth Blair announced. “We raised $89,000 as of this morning.”
She stressed that 100 percent of the money goes toward providing families with the means to buy gifts for families during special shopping days.
The DHHR’s Kathy Bradley has been with Christmas Cash for Kids since the beginning, starting it in 2005 with Rebecca Linton. She talked about what hitting the goal meant this year. “This year we were able to give every child $100,” she said, clarifying that the money goes to parents or grandparents raising their grandchildren or other caregivers during designated shopping events with DHHR and Christmas Cash For Kids volunteers at area Walmart stores.
“It was so emotional sometimes because when they came in and did their application and we screened them, we told them what it would be, which would be the old amount. So when they came into shop, I and my team said, you know, thanks to, to the community overwhelmingly supporting us this year. And because we’ve collected so much additional dollars, we’re going to be able to give you more money.”
“We had tears,” Bradley said of the family members when they heard the news. “We had tears from mothers.”
Both said the way the program has evolved allows family members like parents or grandparents who are raising their grandkids to pick out the presents. For the children where they can pick out the presents for their children. That could mean buying a toy or an item of clothing based on what the child would like. Christmas Cash for Kids extends the benefits to teenagers, as well.
As for being good stewards and trying to only serve the truly needy, organizers carefully vet who receives those funds and works hard to make sure those receiving money from Christmas cash for kids are truly in need.
Bradley said she made more than a few calls this season to other charities to verify recipients weren’t receiving additional help from other organizations.
A number of community partners and businesses make the program possible each year. Long time partners include ROCS convenience stores, City National Bank, Kisner Communications, and the United Way.
Christmas cash for kids. Has helped more than 800 children so far this Christmas season. That’s up by more than 100 from last year’s totals.
Children from the entire Eastern Panhandle — Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties have been helped this year.
Bradley says she won’t know the total until after the season is over, as she is still finalizing numbers from Paw Paw. A number of families were also able to ‘shop’ at a special ‘workshop’ set up at DHHR that made not only toys available, but new coats and gloves.
WVRC Media and our cluster of stations in Martinsburg have been proud to be part of Christmas Cash for Kids since its founding when an emergency call went out about more than 100 children without presents 20 years ago.
We’d like to express our appreciation to our community partners and the generous donors, from those writing big checks to those putting money into canisters at ROCS Convenience stores and other location as well as children collecting coins for a special collection at Airborne Church. Thank you for helping out in big and small ways and allowing Christmas Cash for Kids to help so many children this season.
