West Plains, MO. – For the eighteenth year, the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Alliance, along with Ozark Action, Inc., representatives from West Plains school district and area rural schools, law enforcement, businesses, and other community groups, will once again join forces for the West Plains Community-wide Christmas Assistance Program to help those in need.
For this program to be successful, the committee is asking for community involvement. There are many ways to assist this program. Conducting a toy drive, adopting a family, or monetary donations, are some of the ways to get involved. You can learn ways to lend aid by accessing a donor form that is available at the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce office or Ozark Action, Inc.
For planning purposes, donor forms are due no later than November 30, 2023.
West Plains families in need of assistance can pick up an application form at the Ozark Action, Inc. office located at 710 East Main Street in West Plains. The committee compiles a centralized database of those who have applied. This helps prevent the duplication of services and provides the ability to serve more of those in need.
While filling out an application does not guarantee assistance, the committee makes every effort to help each qualified applicant. Last year, with the help of the agencies involved plus donations from area businesses, individuals, organizations, and churches, they were able to serve more than 160 households to include 376 individuals.
This year’s application deadline is December 4, 2023.
If you, your company, organization, or church would like to help someone this holiday season, the committee can match you with someone in need. If your group already has an assistance project in place, please consider sharing the names of those you help with the Christmas Assistance Committee. The committee will eliminate those names from their master list, and free-up resources to serve even more people. For a donor application, please call the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce office at (417) 256-4433 or Ozark Action, Inc. at (417) 256-6147.
