It’s that time again — time to make your donations to the Beaumont Enterprise’s Empty Stocking Fund.
But like any organization that’s been around as long as the Fund, which started in 1915 as the Beaumont Journal Milk and Ice Fund, things will look a little different this year as it continues to modernize efforts.
The Enterprise Empty Stocking Fund President Kaitlin Bain said the organization has been taking a hard look at its processes to “make sure (it’s) doing the best job for the greatest number of people.”
“We found that we seemed to be trying to reinvent the wheel that’s already very well carried out across Southeast Texas,” Bain said. “The Christmas Bureau has done a phenomenal job for many years in putting together the toy giveaway, but we found as years went on, more and more organizations across Southeast Texas were doing toy giveaways. These are organizations whose whole job is to be in the community and meet the needs of the community. So, they had a better connection to families in need of these sorts of donations.”
At the same time, the Fund has seen its application and volunteer numbers dwindle. So, the board this year decided it would be a better use of its resources to partner with these organizations whose mission aligns with the Empty Stocking Fund.
This year, the Enterprise Empty Stocking Fund is using its donations and volunteers to benefit three local organizations.
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In its partnership with Some Other Place, the organization is giving toys and volunteers.
With the Southeast Texas Food Bank, the Empty Stocking Fund is donating for the second year in a row to the Backpack Program, which gives food to local children in need for the weekend and holidays.
“We’re continuing that donation this year getting back to the roots of the Milk and Ice Fund,” Bain said. “We started not giving toys but giving milk and ice to families who needed it. So, making this donation to the Southeast Texas Food Bank allows us to continue targeting food insecurity in Southeast Texas.”
Lastly, the organization is partnering with Family Services of Southeast Texas to give a pair of pajamas to each child at the domestic violence shelter.
“Our little mascot — his name used to be EJ, but now we have three kids — has always been in pajamas,” Bain said. “We thought it would fit in to find an organization that we can give a set of pajamas to children who’ve probably never had an actual set of pajamas.”
As it continues to work on partnering with these and other local organizations and modernizing itself, The Enterprise Empty Stocking is looking for donations to its cause.
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The organization is looking to raise $28,000 this year — $3,000 more than it raised last year, according to Bain.
The Enterprise Empty Stocking Fund will be accepting donations in the Beaumont Enterprise lobby, 380 Main St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, beginning Monday and lasting through Christmas, and by mail to Empty Stocking Fund, 380 Main St. Beaumont, Texas 77701.
Last year, the organization began taking donations online via PayPal and will continue this year. In addition to allowing the organization to take donations by credit card, PayPal also lets participants choose a one-time or recurring donation.
“If you talk with your family and determined that the Empty Stocking Fund is something that you want to make a yearly commitment to, you can set up a monthly donation,” Bain said. “Let’s say you do $10 a month. It feels less significant when $10 comes out of your account, but at the end of the year, you donate $120. That’s a pretty significant contribution to our community. So, I think people should look into that option.”
Bain stressed that even though the manner of giving back as changed, all of the Empty Stocking Fund donations remain local, something participants should feel good about.
“Donating to the Empty Stocking Fund allows you to still give back to your community but takes out some of the turmoil that goes into making sure you’re selecting the best place that’s going to make the most impact. Our board has the expertise to make sure all our donations are fulfilling the stated mission,” Bain said. “Your money stays local and you get to help local people.”
