CONWAY — The children’s Christmas wishes were often humble.
Some wanted clothes; others wanted school supplies. Several asked for books.
“A lot of the kids we see are just asking for the basic needs,” said Tess Fletcher, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance.
Last year, two siblings didn’t want anything other than a Christmas tree and ornaments, Fletcher said.
“And I just sobbed,” she said, recalling the late-December day when she read the siblings’ wishes that had been hanging on an angel tree.
The alliance is an independent, nonprofit organization serving Faulkner, Van Buren, Searcy and Conway counties. It oversees the Central Arkansas Children’s Advocacy Center and the 20th Judicial Circuit’s Court-Appointed Special Advocates, also known as CASA.
The common goal is to help abused and neglected children whose cases are in the court system.
Each year, the alliance partners with the Arkansas Department of Human Services and gathers Christmas gifts for children in need. With the help of many others, this year the alliance is providing gifts for 240 children and, in some cases, their foster families.
The state agency has already begun delivering the gifts so the families can wrap them before Christmas.
Each family’s gifts are placed in a bag along with two rolls of wrapping paper. By early this week , only a few bags remained at the center in downtown Conway.
Many of the children, of course, hope Santa Claus or a parent will bring them toys and the like.
Popular wish items include bicycles, dolls and Star Wars items.
So, Toys for Tots donated about 585 toys to the alliance “and the kids we serve,” according to an alliance summary titled “Community on the Nice List.”
Klaasmeyer Construction bought 12 bicycles and a scooter for some of the children.
First Security Bank came through with blankets, juice, stuffed animals and snacks for the youngsters.
Some gifts might be a tad big to wrap.
Faulkner County Circle, a group of entrepreneurs and business owners who work with the alliance and other nonprofits, was delivering a new refrigerator Wednesday to one of the families.
The group also was providing furniture to another family, said Leia Smith, the alliance’s outreach and marketing coordinator.
First United Methodist Church in Conway bought Christmas presents for 120 children this year.
Central Arkansas residents bought gifts for a total of 120 youngsters.
Smith estimated that the alliance, with the help of many individuals, businesses and organizations, is providing at least 960 presents for the children this year, and that’s not counting any gifts for other family members.
In a few cases, the alliance also provides food for a family’s Christmas dinner.
“We are so grateful for the compassion and heart our community has,” Fletcher said.
“There are few greater joys than knowing you ensured a child smiled on Christmas morning,” said Deb Kennemer, Court-Appointed Special Advocates supervisor.