While summer temperatures are rising across the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), United Way of the CSRA is already looking ahead to the holiday season to relieve a major source of stress for local families. United Way of the CSRA is inviting the public to participate in its month-long “Christmas in July” campaign, running through July 31 to benefit the Empty Stocking Fund (ESF) of the CSRA.
For thousands of families in our community, the financial anxiety of the holiday season begins long before the winter frost. By launching this campaign in July, United Way aims to raise the necessary funds to secure toy inventory early, ensuring that 1,200 local children experience a magical Christmas morning, according to a news release.
Unlike traditional holiday toy drives that distribute random items, the Empty Stocking Fund of the CSRA empowers local parents facing financial hardships by giving them the power of choice.
Through a secure web portal, pre-screened, qualified parents log on from any web-enabled device to personally select and ‘order’ the gifts and toys they know their children will love. The orders are then distributed over two days in December with the help of dozens of local volunteers. This unique process protects parental dignity, making the parents the true heroes of their children’s Christmas morning.
The public’s generosity goes nearly three times as far during this campaign. Because of the Empty Stocking Fund’s unique purchasing power, a single $35 donation leverages the buying power of $100 worth of brand-new holiday gifts for one local child, the release continued.
To make a tangible impact and drive some friendly community competition, United Way of the CSRA is tracking corporate and individual sponsors live all month long. A physical Christmas tree is being set up inside the United Way office, and every time a supporter joins the cause, a custom ornament will be placed on the tree. Updates will be posted on social media to highlight generous supporters.
Sponsorship tiers available throughout July include:
- Santa’s Workshop Elite Sponsor ($3,500): Funds Christmas for 100 local children! Includes a large custom ornament on the Giving Tree, premier logo placement on the December distribution banner, a dedicated social media thank-you, and a feature on the December website portal.
- Rudolph’s Lead Sponsor ($1,350): Funds Christmas for approximately 38 children! Includes a custom ornament on the Giving Tree, logo featured on day-of distribution signage, and a listing on the summer donor thank-you webpage.
- The “Dash” Sponsor ($350): Funds Christmas for 10 local children! Includes your name on a custom ornament on the Giving Tree and a listing on the summer donor thank-you webpage.
Any donation amount makes a massive difference. People give directly online throughout the month of July by visiting emptystockingfundcsra.org.
For more information about the program, verification, or how to get involved, please visit emptystockingfundcsra.org or contact the team at info@uwcsra.org.
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