BENTONVILLE — A local nonprofit organization that gives Christmas presents to children has seen a spike in applications this year.

Now, representatives of Sharing And Caring of Benton County are trying to find sponsors for all the children before Thanksgiving, said Director Irene Medrano.

Medrano said 1,909 families applied this year, a 13 percent increase over 2008. The number of children the organization will sponsor this year is up to 5,086, a 15 percent increase over 2008.

“People who have never applied were applying,” Medrano said. “We just had a lot of people. It’s just a sign of the times we’re in.”

Heather Woodmancy, a mother of five who lives in Gravette, said she applied this year because her husband has had a hard time getting construction jobs.

“The work here has been down tremendously,” she said.

Woodmancy said she is hoping for winter blankets, as well as games for her son and dolls for her daughters.

“We’d be grateful for anything,” Woodmancy said. “I think it is an absolute blessing that our community does this.”

Medrano said each child will get up to $100 worth of presents. Those presents usually include necessities such as clothes and shoes, plus one gift the child wished for.

Medrano said income guidelines for the program are roughly the same as requirements for food stamps.

A family of four qualifies for assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called food stamps, with a gross monthly income of $2,297 or less. The amount was wrong in a story in Thursday’s editions.

Medrano said a wider range of people applied this year than everbefore. Many were unemployed, while some had their work hours cut.

Some made $60,000 last year but had no income this year.

Some grandparents were raising their grandchildren while mothers worked full time but could not a◊ord day care, Medrano said.

“It was just difficult all around,” Medrano said.

The spike in need is not just at Sharing and Caring.

Barbara Whitlow, director of social services for the Salvation Army of Northwest Arkansas, said she has seen at least a 25 percent increase in the number of clients this year.

Many of those are asking for help for the first time, and many lost their jobs this year, Whitlow said.

Medrano said she hopes to have sponsors for all the children by Thanksgiving, so shoppers can take advantage of holiday sales.

The sponsors will get a list of what to buy. They will deliver the items to the Benton County Fairgrounds.

The families will pick up the items on Dec. 11, Medrano said.

The program is for children up to age 18, as long as they’re in school, Medrano said.

News, Pages 1 on 11/05/2009

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