The Good News of Christmas campaign, operated by United Way of Adams County with support from The Herald-Whig, is in its 32nd year of spreading holiday cheer to individuals and families in need. For over 30 years The Good News of Christmas campaign, operated by United Way of Adams County with support from The Herald-Whig, has been spreading holiday cheer to individuals and families in need. More t
han $1.75 million, along with countless volunteer hours and services, has been donated to help more than 1,500 families get back on their feet since the campaign’s inception in 1989. Families throughout The Herald-Whig’s circulation area in Illinois and Missouri are selected each year to receive aid by caseworkers familiar with their plights.
“It’s a program like no other in Quincy or in the region,” said coordinator Reggie Freel. “For four weeks, we go out and ask area residents to purchase new items, donate cash and help families in need. It’s just another reason why Quincy is so special and the people in our area are so special.”
Several Herald-Whig employees suggested the Good News of Christmas idea in 1989, and it was the first such effort by the newspaper. Citizens, businesses, schools and organizations in West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri respond overwhelmingly each year, a demonstration of the region’s deep-rooted compassion and generosity. In 2021, The Herald-Whig asked United Way of Adams County to take a larger roll in operation and coordination of the project. Quincy won the prestigious Governor’s Cup award in 1991, the state’s top award for volunteerism, for the generosity shown during the Good News campaign.
