Want to help us be “Secret Santas” for local kids who need toys?

Dear Mamas,

CASA of Northwest Arkansas needs ours help to provide toys for kids who are in foster care right now — and for those who might come in unexpectedly just before Christmas.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate and volunteers with the program basically help children navigate the court system. These kids have been abused and neglected and they often don’t have an adult to stand up for them in court.

More than 500 children in Northwest Arkansas will be in foster care for Christmas this year.  CASA pledges to remember every foster child at Christmas time. Will you join our nwaMotherlode Secret Santa team and help give these kids some toys for Christmas? This is the PERFECT way to teach your own children about what the season is all about. You and the kids can go pick out the toys together and then deliver them to CASA. Maybe it can become a new holiday tradition for your family. Our deadline is Dec. 9th.

We’ll all just be dropping the toys off at the CASA office at 3825 Cawood Lane in Springdale.  The office will be closed starting tomorrow for the Thanksgiving holiday, but will open again on Monday, Nov. 28.  Someone will be at the office to receive the toys from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (remember, CASA needs the items by December 9th).

Below is a list of toys CASA needs most. Save a screenshot of the list so you can grab some of these toys when you’re out shopping over the next few weeks. CASA has asked us to make sure the toys are new and unwrapped (so they can place them in groups of toys for particular kids or kids who go into foster care right before Christmas).

The list of needed toys:

• Board games for all ages
• Sport equipment, basketballs, soccer balls, t-ball sets
• Baby dolls
• Barbie dolls
• Art sets/supplies
• Wooden puzzles
• Learning toys for infants/toddlers
• Bath sets for girls
• Watches for teen boys
• Lego sets
• Dress-up clothes for little girls
• Any superhero stuff
• Soft blankets
• Costume jewelry

If you have a question for us about this, email Shannon and Gwen at: mamas{at}nwaMotherlode{dot}com. Let’s show these kids how generous we Northwest Arkansas mamas can be! Let’s come through for them!