🎄 2026 Liaison Reminders & Final Preparations

❤️ Thank You, School Liaisons!

As we prepare for the 39th Annual Navidad En El Barrio Christmas Program, thank you for generously giving your time, resources, and hearts to our children!

You do more than provide meals and gifts. You help children feel valued, supported, and remembered. Our program would not be possible without you! ❤️

📌 First Things First – Let's Get Ready!

As the connection between Navidad En El Barrio and your assigned school, your preparation helps ensure everything runs smoothly.

📅Monday, november 16th - Before Thanksgiving break:

🏫 Contact your School Coordinator and confirm contact information.
📋 Request your current student list, organized by gender and age group (6–8 or 9–12).
🚌 Coordinate transportation and arrival times to ensure all students are seated at Reliant Center by 9:20 AM.
📅 Review the Liaison Action Items & Deadlines to stay on track with your responsibilities.

📅 1. Upcoming Deadlines

📄 Thursday, December 3 – Authorization & Release Forms

⏰ School Coordinator Deadline: 5:00 PM CT

📋 Liaison Responsibility: Coordinate with your School Coordinator, follow up before the deadline, and ensure you receive all signed original Authorization & Release Forms and the final student list, including approved replacements.
📅 By December 3: School Coordinators must provide these documents to their assigned Liaison by 5:00 PM CT, or earlier if arranged. 🔗 Review School Coordinator Authorization & Release Form Requirements

🎄 On Program Day (Saturday, Dec 12):

✅ Verify each child's attendance and signed form against the participant list before boarding the bus.
📝 Bring a few blank forms in case they're needed.
❗ No signed form = No bus boarding or participation.

🍕 Monday, December 7 – Breakfast & Pizza Lunch

Breakfast: Confirm whether your school will provide breakfast or if you need to arrange it.
Lunch: Liaisons are responsible for providing lunch for approximately 40 children.
Pizza Option: Order up to 15 cheese and/or pepperoni pizzas through PayPal by Monday, December 7. View 1-minute ordering tutorial.
School Elf: An assigned volunteer will help deliver pizzas to your school circle after the stage program.
Donated Meals: Need a donation solicitation letter for breakfast or lunch? Submit a request through Liaison Support, and our team will assist you.
✅ Remember to bring: Plates, napkins/paper towels, hand sanitizer, and trash bags.

🎁 2. Friday, December 11 – Gift Wrapping & Preparation

📍 Reliant Center, Hall E | 10:00 AM until wrapping is complete

🎀 Join us in wrapping gifts and preparing your school's gift circle.
📋 Bring your student list and prepared gift labels, organized by gender and age group.
🎁 Check In Before Starting: Upon arrival, check in with Navidad En El Barrio for the latest updates or instructions before collecting gifts or moving them to your school's gift circle. Instructions may change throughout the day.
🌟 Confirm with Navidad En El Barrio whether any Little Wishes were granted to children from your school. Questions may also be addressed ahead of time with our Little Wishes Program Coordinator (📩Email ).
🎅 Christmas Hats, Coloring Books & Donated Items: Each year, we're blessed with generous sponsors and donors who contribute special items for our children! During Gift Wrapping Day, check with Navidad En El Barrio to see what donated items are available to include in each child's gift bag. Items vary each year thanks to the generosity of our community!

📌 Important Gift Circle Reminder

Keep gift packages separated by gender and age group (6–8 or 9–12) on Friday. Do not mix them in the center of your circle yet.
After Saturday morning roll call, confirm attendance, remove gifts for absent children, and update labels for approved replacements of the same gender and age group. Only then should gifts be mixed in the school circle for random name calling and distribution.

🅿️ Friday Parking

Download and print your free Volunteer Parking Pass before arriving. Show the attendant to waive the parking fee and leave it visible on your dashboard.

🎄 3. Saturday, December 12 – Christmas Program- Coordinate Check-in, Breakfast, Lunch and Gift Distribution

🚌 School Check-In & Transportation

🏫 Coordinate with your School Coordinator on Liaison arrival, student check-in, breakfast, bus arrival, and departure times, allowing enough time for all students to be seated in their assigned school circle at Reliant Center, Hall E, by 9:20 AM.
✅ During roll call: Verify each child's attendance and signed Authorization & Release Form against the final participant list, including approved replacements.
📝 Bring a few blank forms in case they're needed.
❗ No signed form = No bus boarding or participation.
⏰ All children must be seated in their assigned school circle at Reliant Center, Hall E, by 9:20 AM.
📞 Exchange mobile numbers with your School Coordinator and bus driver so everyone can stay connected on Program Day.
🚌 Provide your bus driver with a printed Bus Parking Pass before leaving school.
📱 Share the Event Day Schedule with your driver. QR codes are available on both (Parking & Schedule) webpages for digital sharing, but the parking pass must be printed.

👧 Student Attendance & Replacements

Confirm your final list during Saturday morning roll call.
Replacements must match the original child's gender and age group (6–8 or 9–12). Only the child's name may change.
Every replacement must have a completed Authorization & Release Form before boarding the bus.

🥫 Canned Goods

Remind your school to bring two canned goods per child, if possible.
🛷 Upon arrival at Reliant Center, children should place their canned goods in the Food Bank Sleigh before proceeding to their assigned school circle.

📝 Essay Winners

Navidad En El Barrio will notify you in advance if your school has winners.
Have winners sit in the VIP seating area with a chaperone, without revealing the surprise.
Winners will be invited on stage when announced and may return to their group afterward.

🚲 Bike Winners

Confirm the selected boy's and girl's names with your school before leaving the stage program.
Winners will receive their surprise gifts later. Please keep their names confidential!

🧸 Toy Surplus & Absent Children

After confirming final attendance and approved replacements, take remaining gift packages for absent children to the designated Toy Surplus area.
These gifts help support other Navidad En El Barrio Christmas celebrations.
Remind your school: Children must attend the program to receive their gifts.

🍕 Lunch, Refreshments & Cleanup

🍕 Serve Lunch: Provide each child with pizza on a paper plate and napkins.
🥤 Drinks & Refreshments: Confirm available donated drinks with Navidad En El Barrio. Liaisons may bring additional refreshments for their school.
🧁 Additional Treats: Serve any extra snacks or treats provided by the liaison, such as cupcakes.
🗑️ Clean As You Go: While children are eating, walk around your school circle with a trash bag to collect used plates, napkins, cups, and other food-related trash. Keep your eating area clean throughout lunch.

🎁 gift distribution & Red Laundry Bags

🎁 After final roll call and gift adjustments, mix gifts in your school circle in the middle of circle and distribute them by calling each child's name.
Navidad En El Barrio will provide red laundry bags to help children carry their gifts.
Bring a large trash bag to collect and dispose of your school's trash.

🚌 School Dismissal & Cleanup

🚌 Student Dismissal: Follow Navidad En El Barrio's bus dismissal instructions and escort students to their assigned bus.
✅ Confirm All Students Are Accounted For: Ensure every student has safely boarded their assigned bus.
🗑️ Final School Circle Cleanup: Once students are safely aboard, return to your school circle and collect any remaining trash, wrapping paper, gift packaging, and other debris. Place everything in a trash bag before leaving.

📋 4. Post-Event Follow-Up – Authorization & Release Forms

📋 Safeguard and retain all event-day records, including student lists, attendance records, and original Authorization & Release Forms, according to NEEB's approved retention and disposal instructions.
❓ Questions about retaining or disposing of documents? Submit an inquiry through Liaison Support before taking action.

📋 5. Essential Resources & Support

🅿️ Free Parking Passes – Both Days

Valid Friday, December 11 & Saturday, December 12, 2026, at Reliant Center.

🚗 Volunteer Parking Pass – Print before arriving, show the attendant to waive parking fees, and leave on your dashboard.
🚌 Bus Parking Pass – Provide a printed copy to your bus driver before leaving school.

🔗 Helpful Links

🎄 School Liaison Page – Responsibilities, deadlines, and downloadable resources.
📅 Event Day Schedule – Program-day timing and transportation guidance.
❓ Liaison Support Form – Request school contact information, a breakfast/lunch donation solicitation letter, or assistance with other questions.

❤️ Together, We Make Children's Wishes Come True!

Thank you for going above and beyond to bring joy and Christmas memories to the children we serve.

Your dedication makes all the difference! 🎄