Shoppers, donations sought for Warm the Children

With colder temperatures arriving in the North Woods, Warm The Children, a program to provide winter clothing to qualifying families and sponsored by the Vilas County News-Review, is ready to receive applications. 

“If you missed the application in our publications, applications are available for pickup at the News-Review’s front entryway,” said coordinator Nancy Brandner. “There is a table at the far end of the entryway under the window, so participants can come in and grab one to fill out.” 

The process includes receiving the application at the News-Review, sending it to Vilas County Social Services for processing, and receiving it back in-house at the News-Review for assigning and mailing out to a shopper to get in contact with the family to schedule a date and time for shopping. 

Brandner notes that foster families automatically qualify to take part in the program regardless of income levels, but they still need to fill out an application to go to Social Services for verification.

“This process doesn’t typically happen in one day. Due to short staffing everywhere, it could take up to a week possibly for the application to make it through this process and get back to us,” added Brandner. 

Shopping starts Saturday, Nov. 2, and runs through mid-December. There is no shopping on Black Friday, and all shopping is completed by Dec. 14.

Members of the public are invited to volunteer their time to shop with local families. 

“Shoppers are always needed as they are such a vital part of this program,” Brandner said. 

A program as immense as Warm The Children requires not only volunteer help from the community, but monetary support as well. 

The News-Review picks up all administrative fees, and every donation, no matter how large or small, is greatly appreciated. 

To donate online, people can visit the homepage at vcnewsreview.com and click on the Warm The Children box. 

For more information about the program, or to become a volunteer shopper, call 715-479-4421 and ask for Nancy. 

Donations can be made individually, in memory of, or in honor of someone else. Checks can be made out to “Warm The Children” and mailed to: Vilas County News-Review, P.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521, or dropped off at the News-Review office, located at 425 W. Mill St. in Eagle River