Our Mission

Enhancing Lives and Empowering Futures in Benton County.

Our Vision

We envision a world where every family has hope at Christmas and an opportunity for a bright future!

Who We Are

Sharing & Caring of Benton County is a 501(c)(3) children’s nonprofit supported by Walmart, serving Northwest Arkansas families since 1984.

What began with a teacher helping a student without winter shoes has grown into a year-round mission to uplift families in need. From a baby’s first heartbeat to a graduate’s cap and gown, we’re here to help every child thrive.

We believe hope and access to education are the keys to empowering the next generation!

Our Christmas Program

Sharing & Caring of Benton County’s Christmas Assistance Program has been at the heart of our mission since 1984, bringing joy to local children and relief to families facing tough times during the holiday season. With the help of generous sponsors, we provide each child with clothing, shoes, toys, a food box, household essentials, and any other special needs. Every child in our program is shopped for individually — one by one, with care and dignity. New and expectant mothers also receive a box of essentials to give both mom and baby a healthy start. 

In 2024, the incredible generosity of our community helped us serve 3,130 children at Christmas, representing more than 1,180 families in Benton County.

Each year, all gifts and necessities are distributed during what we lovingly call Distribution Day — a powerful, joyful culmination of our year-round work. It’s a day full of emotion, connection, and community: moms overwhelmed with gratitude, dads thanking volunteers for showing up in a hard season, and children whose holidays are made a little brighter. Click the video to experience the magic of a community coming together to make Christmas possible for thousands of local kids!

“Some 16 million American children — 22 percent — live in poverty, a factor that increases their chances of academic struggles, social and behavioral problems, and depression. Yet not all poor children are doomed to bad outcomes. Some survive and flourish despite hardships. Why? As a researcher who worked at the Yale Child Study Center from 1992 to 2005, Valerie Maholmes, PhD, suggests that poor children who succeed have a factor in common: hope.”

Stacy Lu, American Psychological Association, November 2014, Vol 45, No. 10

2023 E.A.T. winners

“The Spice Girls” with Sharing & Caring Executive Director, Thomas Blackwell (far right). EACH student, on the winning team, received a $1,000 post-secondary scholarship to help further their careers!

S&C Scholarship Fund

In 2016, we expanded our mission beyond the holiday season with the launch of the S&C Scholarship Program, designed to help break the cycle of poverty many of our families face. While many scholarships focus on college, we saw a need to support students who may not be college-bound. Our program helps high school students in Benton County access vocational training, certification programs, and other career-focused opportunities. In 2024 alone, we awarded 1,426 scholarships, and we continue partnering with rural school districts to expand educational access and programming.

It is our goal to ensure that every child in Benton County, regardless of their background or financial limitation, has access to education and opportunity!

TESTIMONIALS

Sharing and Caring’s mission is simple – to spread joy to families during the holiday season. We seek to show compassion for our neighbors, and in 2018 served over 1,340 families in Benton County. It has been a privilege to volunteer for this organization for the last 12 years and to be a part of something that, through both our holiday program as well as our scholarship program, makes a difference in the lives of others.

Holly B.
Board Member & Sponsor

This enormous undertaking of providing Christmas presents for 3000 - 4000 kids, a full Christmas dinner, various other items including wrapping paper (so the parents can be involved in the magic)... ALL done with a close to 4% margin. Over 35,000 local children have had a Christmas, sponsored by an organization very few have heard of. I'm proud to support Sharing & Caring!

Jeff G.
Volunteer & Sponsor

The scholarship that I received from Sharing & Caring has allowed me to gain important experience and knowledge I need to become a professional in the culinary field...Due to it I have helped James Beard award winning chefs. I have also participated in a Prostart Competition...where high school kids compete to be the best in the culinary industry. I’ve made lifelong friends from the community I live in and from other states... I have had confidence walking into any kitchen or culinary classroom knowing the only thing I needed to do was learn and not have to worry about how to pay for the ingredients or chef wear or equipment. This confidence was instilled in me knowing I had Sharing & Caring backing me. I have absolutely loved every minute I spend cooking or learning or helping a chef or other student in a kitchen. I have started cooking at home for my family so much more and just feel that I would have struggled to get there had Sharing & Caring not given me a scholarship.

Timothy F.
IGNITE Professional Studies Student

Thank you for paying for me to take the CNA class here at Rogers High School. It's an amazing opportunity that not very many students get everyday. This class gives me the opportunity to start down the medical path I plan to go on. After high school I plan on going on to nursing school to be a pediatric nurse. Getting my CNA will allow me to get a job in a hospital after high school and let me work my way up from there. I really appreciate the chance you guys have given me to pursue down the career path I have planned ahead. Thank you.

Errin S.
High School Student

The continued support and generosity provided by the Sharing & Caring Foundation has had a positive impact for many students in the Rogers Public Schools.  Sponsorships have made it possible for students to participate in career programs such as Culinary Arts, Certified Nurse’s Assistant and Emergency Medical Responder courses offered through NWACC and the Brightwater Center.  Students also have opportunities to earn concurrent college credit in areas relating to business and marketing career fields. The career programs are designed to prepare students for successful careers and bright futures following high school graduation.

Dawn S.
Director, Rogers Public Schools

My two years in Ignite has opened up so many opportunities for me that never would have been possible had I stayed within the traditional classroom setting. By being enrolled at Brightwater, I’ve met world-famous chefs and competed against other passionate high school students from all across America. Because of my involvement in Ignite and Brightwater, I have been accepted into the most prestigious and competitive culinary school in the nation, the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. I am so grateful for the graciousness that Sharing and Caring of Benton County has shown me for the past two years that allowed me to fulfill my dreams and exceed all expectations of how I would wrap up my high school career. Thank you!

Anna H.
IGNITE Professional Studies Student

Sharing & Caring is a very helpful resource for children in the area. I have both used and donated to this service and would again in a heartbeat.

CJ J.

This organization went above and beyond to help me get a gift to a child and also helped me help a lot of small children with personal item needs. Such an amazing group of people! Thank you so much!

Angela M.

I wanted to take the time and formally thank you for paying for my CNA class. It really means a lot to me because I've known for a LONG time that I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field and this is only the beginning of my journey. Thank you for providing me with this opportunity of a lifetime.

Jasmine R.
High School Student

Students in the Ignite Professional Studies program can earn college credit while in high school.  Although this is a great benefit for our students, it can be a challenge financially to pay for the tuition. Through the scholarship program of Sharing and Caring of Benton County, we have been able to support over 250 students earning 1,335 college hours.  It is our intent for all students to have access to higher education opportunities regardless of background and set them on a path that encourages lifelong learning.  Without the support of scholarships through Sharing and Caring, our students would have to make the financial decision if they could afford to be in the program.  Your relief in with those anxieties provide a better experience and encourages workforce training for ALL students.  Sharing and Caring support has helped train students in Culinary Arts, Digital Design & Photography, Health Sciences and Video Production.  Thank you for considering IGNITE as a partner in our endeavor to guide students to using their passions toward career goals!

Teresa H.
Director, IGNITE Professional Studies

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