Community Needs Agency’s (CNA) annual campaign to provide needy families in the area with Christmas food baskets—as well as provide the agency with year-round operating funds—is off and running. In addition to providing regular assistance, the CNA office, board, and volunteers are working to ensure eligible residents of the Illinois Valley Central School District #321 can apply to receive the essentials for a complete holiday dinner. 

“This once-a-year campaign is critical to providing CAN—and ultimately the clients it serves—with the necessary funds to offer assistance in a variety of areas. Right now, our main emphasis is on providing food baskets at Christmas,” said CNA Board President Darlene Kumpf. “But we operate year-round and while assistance is limited . . . we can help with rent, food, utilities, heat, repair of a senior resident’s home, warm new winter coats, hats and gloves for kids, even backpacks for school. There are a lot of needs and with the community’s continued generous assistance, CNA is able to help in a lot of areas.”

Christmas basket distribution formerly took place at IVC High School but due to COVID concerns, was moved to Three Sisters Park. According to Kumpf, the new venue—and overall coordination of the project—continues to work well.

“We appreciate Three Sisters making the park available to us,” said Kumpf. “There are a lot of steps that have to be coordinated to collect the food, get gift cards, assemble the food baskets, provide toys, basket sign-ups, arrange for pickups, etc. Having a central location like Three Sisters Park for assembling baskets and then distributing them is a huge help. And of course, volunteers are critical . . . it wouldn’t happen without them.” 

Christmas basket distribution will take place on Saturday, December 16 at Three Sisters. Those wishing to receive a basket must sign up at the CNA office, 418 W. Wilmot Street, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday between the hours of 9:30am and 1pm. Sign-ups began November 8th and go through Wednesday, December 11th, 2023. 

Children’s new winter coats also are available, at the CNA office, as long as supplies last. Coats can be seen and picked up at the CNA office, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 10am to noon. Coats are available in kid’s sizes and in a variety of colors and styles. 

Another important part of the fundraising is ringing bells at Kroger. Volunteers can sign up to ring a bell and encourage shoppers to drop in spare money in the green CNA kettle as they enter or exit the store. CNA Board Members Sandy Pomazal and Brenda Stewart help coordinate bell ringers and emphasize the importance of that part of the annual campaign.

“Our volunteer bell-ringers come from every part of the community,” said Stewart. “Bell ringing not only encourages people to put money in the bucket, but it also reminds people coming in and out of Kroger of the CNA effort overall and encourages other donations.”  

Volunteers can sign up for a one-hour (or more) time slot for bell ringing on the Community Needs Facebook page by clicking the Signup Genius link and signing up there. Churches, fraternal and civic organizations, and other groups are encouraged to sign up for a day, a week, or whatever time they can give. 

Anyone wishing to donate food or help with food basket distribution is asked to call the CNA office at 309-274-6333 during office hours Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 9:30am to 1pm. Donations to CNA are encouraged and should be mailed to CNA, P.O. Box 103, Chillicothe, IL. 61523.