The staff at the Panola County Department of Children and Family Services is working hard to provide a merry Christmas for needy children whose names have been submitted to the office.
As groups and individuals continue to "adopt" children from the list, and as others bring donations of toys and money for the project, the list of children keeps growing, according to Diane Davis of DCFS.
There are now more than 500 children on the list, she said. So far, 110 children have been adopted. That number includes 47 foster children.
"We have had several people come through with donations," she said. "But the number of kids keeps growing, even though we tell people we don’t know if we can get to them."
Davis said DCFS screens the applicants and a child with more of a need might move up the list.
"We take a close look at the child’s situation," she said. "We have had a child that was affected by the hurricanes that was just turned into us last week."
As of Monday, DCFS had accepted $2,500 in cash donations that will be used to buy Christmas gifts.
"If you figure just $15 per child for 300 kids, that’s over $4,000," she said. "But I have faith that people are going to keep coming in and helping us out."
As for toy donations, Davis said the office was full of packed bags Monday morning.
"People have really come through for us," she said. "We’ve collected a lot of toys for the kids, and now they are packed into bags."
Anyone wanting to make a donation of a toy or cash can do so at the DCFS office on Main Street in Sardis, First Security Bank or Renasant Bank in either Batesville or Sardis, State Bank and Union Planters Bank in Batesville.
"I really believe people will continue to support this cause," she said. "I don’t know if we will be able to provide for all of the children, but we are going to do our best."
For more information or to pledge support, contact DCFS at 487-2098.
