Christmas for Charity Returns to Hazard, Funds Local Programs
The long running Christmas for Charity event returns to Hazard this weekend, scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday at the Hazard Community College First Federal Center, with proceeds designated for CASA and the Hazard Rotary Club Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The annual fundraiser channels community donations into child welfare, early literacy and scholarships, and has raised more than one million dollars for local nonprofits over its history.
The Christmas for Charity fundraiser, now in its 26th year, will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Hazard Community College First Federal Center. Organizers say proceeds will support CASA and the Hazard Rotary Club Dolly Parton Imagination Library, two locally focused programs that direct funding toward child advocacy, reading readiness and scholarships for Perry County residents.
This event is a principal local fundraising effort that has generated more than one million dollars for nonprofits and scholarships since its inception. Ticket prices are currently eighty five dollars and will be one hundred dollars at the door. Corporate tables are available for one thousand five hundred dollars. Tickets may be purchased at Kentucky Farm Bureau at 318 Morton Bvld. or at the Chamber of Commerce Office at 486 Main Street.
Organizers are urging broad community participation to sustain program services that fill gaps in county budgets and private support. "Please come out and help support these organizations," said Janet Smith of the Christmas for Charity Committee. "They do so much for our communities and we really need to help them out. We look forward to seeing everyone."
For residents, the event represents both a community celebration and a practical mechanism to fund services that local government and social service agencies rely on. CASA advocates work within the child welfare system to represent children's interests during legal proceedings, and the Imagination Library provides free books to registered children to promote early literacy. Funds raised through community events reduce reliance on constrained public budgets and help sustain volunteer run and nonprofit programs that deliver direct services.
As the holiday season begins, the fundraiser also highlights how civic engagement and local philanthropy influence program continuity and access. Higher ticket prices and corporate sponsorship opportunities play a role in revenue generation, while community turnout determines how broadly benefits reach families across Perry County. Organizers and beneficiaries alike will look to Saturday night as a barometer of public support for child centered services going into the new year.
