Community Christmas
If you or your family need help this Christmas, stay tuned to our website and social media the week of October 28 through November 1 when we'll open the public, online registration portal for this year's gift distribution. All parents who have a current email address listed in Skyward should receive an email notification when the portal opens. This year's Community Christmas student participation is limited to the first 375 students who are signed up by their parent or guardian. The list will close either at the 375-student cap or on November 1 - whichever happens first
What is Community Christmas?
Community Christmas started in 2017 as a small partnership between Community ISD and First Baptist Lavon. It has since evolved into a full partnership between the District and all churches in the CISD boundaries, as well as the cities of Josephine, Nevada, and Lavon.
- 2017 - 44 families/130 children
- 2018 - 73 families/191 children
- 2019 - 93 families/250 children
- 2020 - 180 families/350 children
- 2021 - 481 children
- 2022 - 168 families/500 children
- 2023 - 500 children
- 2024- 375 children
This includes non-student siblings (newborns to Pre-K 3). All students get a “Need”, a “Read”, and a “Want” gift - total for all three is $100. These students and their siblings are then anonymized and distributed to churches, cities, businesses, and private citizens that want to provide these gifts.
How can I sign up for Community Christmas?
Every year the school district opens up a sign-up sheet for eligible families. The first 375 students who are signed up and qualify for assistance will receive gifts this year. This year's form is available from October 28 until November 1. If 375 students are signed up before 5 pm on November 1, we will close the registration early.
Who is eligible for Community Christmas?
Free and reduced lunch applications play a large role in determining eligibility, but anyone determined by the counselors to be financially at-risk is eligible as well. Documentation of one of the following is needed to qualify for assistance: Free/Reduced breakfast/lunch, Social Security, Medicaid, Disability, WIC, Unemployment, Lone Star, or Active Military.
What is the timeline for Community Christmas?
- Sign-up Sheet Goes Live on October 28
- Sign-up Sheet Closes on November 1 at 5 pm, or if it reaches 375 students registered before that deadline.
- Counselors Determine Eligibility of Applications by Nov. 4.
- Lists are distributed to churches and city organizations on Nov. 15.
- Churches and City Organizations must deliver gifts to CISD gift distribution location Terry Pope Administration between Dec. 2 and Dec. 6.
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Gifts distributed on Dec. 9 (4-6 pm), Dec. 10 (4-6 pm), and Dec. 11 (4-6 pm).
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All gifts not picked up by December 12 will be surrendered to Community Christmas and used as gifts for families in the 2025 year.
I would like to help provide gifts for families in need. How can I participate?
If you would like to help families in need, please send us an email at info@communityisd.org, and list how many students you can provide gifts for. Ideally, you would spend $95 to $100 per student. Please only pledge the amount of students you can reasonably help. Once a student is claimed, they are your responsibility to provide for.