CFA message from the publisher
Dear Readers, Subscribers, and Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Press,
Every year, as fall turns into the holiday season, Kootenai County quietly becomes its best self. We don’t just talk about generosity — we live it. That spirit is why we’re proud to launch the Coeur d’Alene Press Christmas for All campaign for 2025, a community tradition that began in 1985 and has uplifted neighbors for nearly four decades.
Here’s the simple truth: need doesn’t take a holiday. Neither do we. Christmas for All exists because real people here at home face real challenges — medical bills that hit hard, rent shortfalls threatening stability for families, broken cars blocking someone’s way to work, periods of homelessness or mental health struggles that still deserve dignity and a fair opportunity.
What makes Christmas for All special is what our readers have always emphasized: it is local, personal and transparent. Since the program started, readers and friends of The Press have donated more than $1.5 million to help Kootenai County residents in need.
Because Christmas for All is run by volunteers and classified as a 501(c)(3) organization, every dollar goes directly to helping people, with overhead costs covered by The Hagadone Corporation, the Coeur d’Alene Press, Charity Reimagined and our referring partners. That commitment to excellence remains unchanged.
Starting in 2019, Christmas for All went deeper — supporting families on the edge of eviction, parents who can’t afford car repairs to get to work, seniors forced to choose between heat and medication and single moms pursuing education and employment to rise out of poverty.
Because of that expanded mission, those of us who help administer the program — our team at the Press, Charity Reimagined and dozens of referring partners — often refer to it internally as “Christmas for All — Year.” It’s our way of recognizing that your compassion now reaches far beyond December. Cars don’t break down only at Christmas. Eviction notices don’t wait for the holidays. And thanks to you, our community’s “hand up” doesn’t either.
Where has help gone this year? The numbers tell a powerful story about how your donations have been used so far this year:
• 40% of awards supported auto repairs, tires, and fuel assistance — helping individuals keep their jobs or continue their education.
• 26% provided rent support, ensuring local families remain safe and warm.
• 15% went toward dental, vision and hearing care, restoring both health and dignity.
• 10% assisted with mental and physical health services, from counseling to rehabilitation support.
• 9% covered childcare needs and youth programs, primarily for single moms going to NIC.
Each percentage represents real people — neighbors working hard to rebuild, and who often send us heartfelt notes of gratitude months after receiving help.
The people behind the referrals
Over the past four weeks, you’ve seen stories highlighting some of the referring partners who help make sure your donations reach neighbors working toward a better future:
• Heritage Health’s Street Medicine / Good Medicine program, walking alongside unhoused individuals and connecting them to vital support.
• St. Vincent de Paul’s Angel Arms housing program helps stabilize lives and keep families safe.
• Mental Health Court: supporting participants as they rebuild their futures.
• The Coeur d’Alene School District, whose counselors and staff identify needs early and ensure students and families don’t fall through the cracks.
• North Idaho College's Center for New Directions assists single parents and displaced homemakers on their journeys to financial stability and self-sufficiency.
These partners are the unsung heroes of Christmas for All. They don’t just identify hardship — they walk through it with people, and they help verify needs so your gift goes exactly where it should.
Charity Reimagined and Maggie Lyons
We are truly grateful, as always, for our administrative partner Charity Reimagined, and for its executive director — and longtime friend to the Press — Ms. Maggie Lyons. Maggie and her team help keep Christmas for All focused on what matters most to our community: supporting neighbors who are willing and able to build a better future and need a bridge to get there.
What to expect between now and Christmas Eve.
From now until Christmas Eve, we’ll share success stories from some of the people your Christmas for All donations have supported. You’ll learn about neighbors who received help — and then seized new opportunities. These stories aren’t just inspirational; they prove what’s possible when a community chooses to invest in people rather than turn away.
The 2025 goal: $300,000
This year, our target is $300,000. That’s ambitious — and it should be. The need is real, and the chance to change outcomes for families is right here. We’ve achieved extraordinary things before, and I believe we can do it again.
How can you help?
If Christmas for All has ever inspired or helped you or someone you know, please consider giving this season. Donate whatever you can — $10, $100, or $1,000. Every bit helps.
1. Give online through the Coeur d’Alene Press Christmas for All page.
2. Mail or drop off a check to the Coeur d’Alene Press, made out to Christmas for All.
3. Or donate in honor of someone you love, as a simple way to turn gratitude into action.
Kootenai County has never been a place that waits for others to solve problems. Christmas for All is proof of neighbors helping neighbors — quietly, steadily, and with real impact.
On behalf of everyone at the Coeur d’Alene Press, thank you for caring, giving, and reminding the world what this community truly is. Let’s look after our own — and make sure Christmas is for everyone.
With gratitude and hope,
• • •
Clint Schroeder
President and Executive Publisher
Hagadone Newspaper & Media Groups
