The Steelville R-3 School District is seeking donors and sponsors for its 2026 Holiday Assistance Program.

Steelville families have used the program to help meet material needs during the holiday season for more than ten years, according to Steelville R-3 School District’s Community Liaison Stephanie Billingsley.

A former middle school principal, Billingsley now works with the more than 50 beneficiary families involved in the program, connecting them to donors and sponsors in the Steelville community.

She said that the program started after individuals and businesses in Steelville showed initiative by approaching the school district and requesting to help out local families in need.

“Different families and organizations and businesses contacted us around the holidays and asked if there were any families in need that need food, toys, clothes or things like that from the holiday,” Billingsley said. “So we just kind of built that up over the years.”

When Billingsley retired last year after 30 years of service in the school district, she took on the role of community liaison and manager of the Holiday Assistance Program.

She works with the school district’s counselors, who field requests for assistance from families, or who themselves identify families in need. Then, they inform Billingsley about the needy family, who then matches them with a local sponsor.

“It may be as simple as a Thanksgiving food basket, or holiday assistance in the form of clothes and toys for the kids,” Billingsley said.

The generosity of local donors is what makes the program work as well as it does, according to Billingsley. Some individuals sponsor one family. Local organizations may sponsor a few.

“I have some that adopt ten different families and buy their kids Christmas presents,” Billingsley said.

She added that this year, because of rising costs of living and food prices, the number of families in need of food assistance is especially high.

“Right now, it is a lot of food assistance. I’m getting people that just are wanting just some food assistance for the holidays and then there’s always you know families who want to see their kids get something that they can’t afford for the holidays as far as a toy or something like that,” Billingsley said.

Billingsley and the donors that make the program work know that need is a constant that isn’t going away. Yet, Billingsley said it is the duty of the community to help fill that need.

“The need is always there. I think it’s just our calling to take care of our community and the members in it,” BiIlingsley said. I feel really strongly and I know our district does too. We do that because the kids and we know the needs.”

Those interested in donating money, items, or sponsoring a family through the program can contact Billingsley at sbillinglsey@steelvillek12.mo.us or by calling and asking for her at the school’s central office.