Birthday Boxes for Lake Park Elementary

Today HSP made its first delivery of the school year to Lake Park Elementary!  Lake Park Elementary and HSP have been Children’s Birthday Project partners since February of 2012.  Through this partnership HSP provides birthday boxes to the neediest children enrolled at the school.  With roughly 90% of Lake Park students receiving government subsidized meals at school, the need is very great! 

                Today’s delivery contained birthday boxes for 18 children with birthdays in the month of September.  Each birthday box includes a 20-25 pound package containing 6-10 toys, 6 books, numerous smaller “filler gifts,” school supplies, and all of the supplies necessary to hold a memorable birthday party.  

                 HSP would like to extend big thank you to volunteer Dean Senne for delivering the birthday boxes!  We truly appreciate his help and support!

                It is the support of volunteers like Dean that has enabled HSP to make a difference in the lives of the needy children at Lake Park Elementary, as well as all of the other children served by our project. If you too would be interested in becoming involved in or learning more about this project, visit our website at: http://humanitarianservice.org/.

A New Intern Joins HSP!

           This week Humanitarian Service Project is excited to welcome another new intern, Elizabeth Meier! In her role as Project Management intern, Elizabeth will assist HSP staff members by contributing to and overseeing several projects and help prepare for the upcoming Christmas Offering.   

            Elizabeth is a junior at Elmhurst College, where she has a double major in Business Administration and Management. She will graduate in February 2015. She became interested in the project management internship at HSP because of her desire to gain real world office experience and a hands-on introduction to the various aspects of business administration.

            Elizabeth is very interested in non-profits, and she is excited to be learning more about how they function through this internship. Elizabeth has a lot of experience in service and volunteer work, revealing her heart for helping others. In high school, she went on mission trips with her church and volunteered at Naper Settlement as a living history guide. More recently, she served at an after school program, Easy Care, helping kids with their homework. In her free time, Elizabeth loves doing crafts, and has an interest in repurposing old furniture. She also enjoys music and is involved in the Women’s Chorus at Elmhurst College.

            We are so excited to have Elizabeth here at HSP! Please join us in welcoming her to the team.

School of Expressive Arts & Learning Students Volunteer for Senior Citizen Project

Today HSP was fortunate to have students from the School of Expressive Arts and Learning in Lombard volunteering in our warehouse.  The group of students spent their time sorting meat for our Senior Citizen Project in preparation for the September 14^th delivery day.  They worked bundling packs of 3 poultry, 2 beef and 2 pork products to deliver to each needy senior.  These meat packages are part of the 100lb. grocery deliver the seniors receive each month, which also includes fresh fruits and vegetables, non-perishables, Pepperidge Farm bread, and paper products. 

            The school aims to prepare its students for life after high school and tries to expose them to as many career paths as possible, which is why they are always looking for different volunteer programs to become involved in.  Students from the school have volunteered for HSP several times and by doing so, the school hopes to instill in them the importance of community involvement and teach them valuable skills that will help them after they graduate.  

            HSP is extremely grateful for the work the students completed to help us prepare for the upcoming delivery day.  With over 6 tons of groceries to be prepared for our monthly delivery, HSP is always grateful for the help of volunteers like the students from the School of Expressive Arts & Learning.  If you or your group is interested in helping HSP give us a call at (630)221-8340 email us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org to find out more information. 

A New Intern Joins HSP’s Team!

Today HSP is excited to welcome the newest member of our intern team, Brennan McClung. Brennan studies accounting at Elmhurst College, and over the next few months he will be utilizing what he is learning to assist HSP’s CFO and co-founder, Floyd Kettering, with all of our accounting needs. Brennan hopes to eventually get a Master’s Degree in accounting and become a CPA.

            Brennan says he was motivated to apply for our accounting internship because of the experiences it will provide him. Not only is Brennan interested in accounting, but he says he is interested in learning more about how non-profits function. Brennan is no stranger to non-profits and service. Through his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, Brennan serves in the “Buddy Brigade” spending time with local elementary school students, and volunteers with the organization Feed My Starving Children. Outside of academics and service, Brennan is a pitcher for Elmhurst College’s baseball team. Please join us in welcoming Brennan to HSP.

Help Us Support Our Seniors: Coupon Books Now Available for Purchase!

            Attention all shoppers! Would you love an opportunity to save money on fine dining, casual eat-ins, shopping, attractions, travel and more? Now you have a chance to do this and raise money for needy seniors at the same time!

            HSP is selling ENTERTAINMENT 2014 coupon books and all profits are going to our needy seniors in the Senior Citizen Project. The money raised will be used to sponsor seniors living under severe poverty and purchase their monthly grocery deliveries. This delivery includes 100 lbs of nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, bread, and paper products that the seniors need to maintain an healthy lifestyle.

            The ENTERTAINMENT 2014 coupon books are available for purchase for $25 between now and December 1st. Each book has hundreds of coupons that are valid until November 1, 2014. They include coupons for a variety of attractions in both the Western and Southern Chicago suburbs. You can pick up your book at the HSP headquarters in Carol Stream or mail order it. To receive more information or to order, call HSP at 630-221-8340.

            Please consider taking this great opportunity to help us care for our needy seniors!

Thanks for a Great Summer, Danielle!

Danielle (front, right)

Today, we finish our week of goodbyes as HSP bids farewell to our last summer intern, Danielle Spence. This is her last day at her summer internship before she prepares to head back to school at North Central College in Naperville. She will be a senior this fall and will graduate with her degree in journalism in June 2014.

             This summer, Danielle has been working as a public relations intern. She has had a lot of opportunities to apply her writing skills by writing press releases, blogs and other social media posts. She also interviewed many of our seniors in the Senior Citizen Project and wrote the senior updates based on those interviews. All these experiences have helped prepare her a future career in the field of publishing or public relations.

            Danielle will truly be missed around HSP, not only for her cheerful personality, but also for her willingness to step up to any challenge presented to her. One of her favorite parts about the internship was speaking at the Working Mother’s Council of McDonald’s Cooperation about HSP and our mission. She said public speaking was out of her comfort zone before that experience, but it helped her grow and become more confident. Now she plans to be a member of our volunteer speaker team.

            We are so thankful for Danielle’s many contributions this summer and wish her the best as she moves forward. Thanks for all you have done, Danielle!

Allured Business Media 2nd Annual Garage Sale: A Friendly Reminder!

Calling all yard sale junkies! This is your friendly reminder that tomorrow and next Friday are the final drop off dates for the 2nd annual Allured Garage Sale. Allured Business Media is hosting the sale on behalf of the Humanitarian Service Project. All of the profits made from this event will allow HSP to add and permanently support a needy senior to our Senior Citizen Project. In addition, Allured will match every dollar spent at the garage sale up to $7,500.

Where do you come in?

Allured is looking for donations of gently used and working items. Items can include furniture, lamps, toys, dishware, clothing, and accessories (handbags, jewelry, and scarves), baby furniture, sporting goods, pots/pans, household decorations, exercise equipment, electronics, collectibles, and Books/CDs/DVDs. If you have any of these items just collecting dust around your house feel free to make a donation. Remember: Tomorrow (August 23) and next Friday (August 30) from 9 AM to 3 PM are the final days to drop off donations at Allured Business Media. Their address is 336 Gundersen Drive, Suite A, Carol Steam, IL.

But, what if I don’t have any items to donate?

That’s okay! You can join HSP for the 5,000 sq. ft. garage sale. There are going to be thousands of items to choose from. The garage sale runs September 6^th and 7^th from 9 AM to 4 PM in the Allured Business Media parking lot, 336 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL.

HSP would like to thank Allured for hosting another garage sale this year. We know that it will be a great success. If you have any questions feel free to contact HSP at (630) 221-8340 or e-mail us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org. You can also visit the Allured Garage Sale Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AlluredGarageSale. Help us spread the word by telling your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.

Adieu, Richie! Adieu, Allyssa!

School is right around the corner, which means it’s time to say goodbye to more of Humanitarian Service Project’s (HSP) summer interns. This week the last of the bunch are on their way to school to study long hours and overload their brains with knowledge.

Monday was the last day of our Accounting intern, Richie Duarte. He worked closely with Floyd by assisting him with HSP’s federal 990 tax return. When Richie wasn’t crunching numbers, he was in the warehouse helping out with Feed the Kids delivery days. Richie attends school at the University of Alabama where he studies Accounting. Outside of class, Richie is very involved with his fraternity and serves as the Philanthropy Chair by organizing fundraisers for the charities that his fraternity supports.

Today is Allyssa Babecki’s last day on the job. She completed a general internship where she worked a variety of tasks, including contacting families for Feed the Kids and The Children’s Birthday Project. She also supervised volunteer groups. For the majority of her internship, Allyssa worked side by side with Bridget, HSP’s Administrative Assistant, at the front desk. She expressed gratitude that her experience at HSP has helped her, “out of [her] comfort zone.” Allyssa is embarking on her final semester at Elmhurst College where she majors in Urban Studies.

We wish the pair of interns good luck as they embark on another year of school. They are sure to have successful careers and we wish them the best in their future endeavors. Thanks for all of your contributions throughout the summer. We truly appreciate everything you’ve done for Humanitarian Service Project!

                 

Super Care Kits from McDonald’s Working Mother’s Council

Humanitarian Service Project would like to take this opportunity to recognize the Working Mother’s Council of McDonald’s Corporation in Oak Brook, for the creating 30 Senior Care Kits for impoverished senior citizens. Throughout the summer, the group, comprised of McDonald’s corporate employees and their children, has been engaged in their annual “Helping Hands Summer Event,” in which they participate in projects to support local charities.

At their meeting last Friday, the moms and their children took personal care products they purchased and sorted out thirty bags for needy seniors. These great “Senior Care Kits” included shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, toothpaste, floss, a toothbrush, and Chap Stick. HSP was represented at the meeting by intern Danielle Spence and Deb Jayson, a member of our volunteer speaker team. The two spoke to the group about the Senior Citizen Project and the important role the care kits they were making would have in fulfilling HSP’s goal to provide the needy seniors in the program a healthy lifestyle. We wish to thank the Working Mother’s Council for helping HSP support these seniors.

Each of the 122 impoverished seniors in the Senior Citizen Project receives a “Senior Care Kit” every three months, in addition to their normal 100 lb. delivery of nutritious groceries. These kits provide them with the hygiene products they desperately need. If you, like the Working Mother’s Council, would like to help HSP serve these very needy seniors, please consider making these kits or donating personal care items (conditioner and dental floss are particularly needed.) You can learn more at: http://humanitarianservice.org/getinvolved/donations.html  

HSP Welcomes A New Intern!

        Today, Humanitarian Service Project is excited to add an addition to the intern team, Rebecca Megchelsen! Rebecca will be assisting HSP staff with various projects and preparing for the Christmas season. She recently completed her first year at Dordt College, in Iowa. She is currently taking some time off from school to intern and gain experience, and is using her time off to decide what to major in. Rebecca is very interested in nonprofit organizations, which is what pulled her attention toward HSP. Rebecca has a heart for reaching out and helping others in the community. In the past, Rebecca has worked on many service projects through her youth group. She has tutored elementary school children, in addition to volunteering at a hospital where she worked with kids with disabilities.

            Rebecca’s kind spirit and experience helping others will be an advantage to HSP, as we work toward alleviating the suffering of needy children and seniors in the community. When she is not involved in school or service, Rebecca enjoys running. She is very musically inclined, which is evident through her involvement in band and choir throughout school. In addition, she recently took up rock-climbing with a friend. Everyone at HSP is thrilled to have Rebecca here and look forward to working with her during the next few months! Please join us in welcoming Rebecca to the HSP team! 

Hustling and Bustling in Preparation for Delivery Day

Today, Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) had six volunteers from UPS working in the warehouse for tomorrow’s Senior Citizen Project Delivery Day. They were busy as bees sorting produce and bread into the food packages to make sure that the senior’s receive the correct amount of food. Delivery Day wouldn’t be possible without our generous volunteers.

Altogether the seniors will receive 100 pounds of groceries! The groceries are delicious and nutritious, which allows them to stay healthy and have a better quality of life. On top of living in poverty, many of the seniors enrolled in the program are very ill and don’t have the resources to afford necessary groceries. That’s when we step in and lend a helping hand.

The groceries are only one part of the program. The seniors have access to a lot of amazing programs and opportunities:

1. The Fox Valley Animal Welfare League donates pet food to the senior’s that have a pet.

2. When the senior is celebrating their birthday, they receive a beautiful cake! The cakes are donated by the DuPage and Kane County chapter of Birthday Cakes 4 Free.

3. Each senior composes a list of different items they many need. They could ask for things such as a blanket, gift card, laundry detergent, etc. A volunteer, also known as a “secret pal”, will purchase one gift from the senior’s list each month and give it to them on delivery day.

The Senior Citizen Project makes a huge impact on the senior’s lives. They are so happy to see the delivery driver’s smiling faces every month. Thanks to the dozens of volunteers who help to make all of this possible. Here’s to a wonderful Delivery Day everyone, drive safe!

HSP School Supply Drive Marches On!

Today Humanitarian Service Project received two amazing donations for the School Supply Drive. Fuji Film, located in Hanover Park, Illinois, donated four boxes of supplies and Immanuel Lutheran, located in Downers Grove, Illinois, donated eleven boxes.  Even though the School Supply Fair has already occurred that doesn’t mean we aren’t accepting donations anymore. There are still needy children that need school supplies throughout the entire school year. That’s why we’re here to help!

If you would like to make a school supply donation, we will be collecting for the remainder of the summer and the fall to provide needy children with those back-to-school necessities! The supplies will be distributed directly to needy schools with populations of 80% or more of the student population living in poverty.

Last year we had a lot of success after the Back to School Fair as we were able to serve hundreds of needy children in the area that as needed supplies. We want to do the exact same thing this year, so if you’re interested, please help us to repeat last year’s success! If you would like to make a school supply donation email HSP at hsp@humanitarianservice.org or call (630) 221-8340. 

We’ll Miss You, Ashley!

            Today, HSP says a bittersweet goodbye to Ashley Bondarowicz, as her summer internship comes to an end. Over the past three months Ashley has been working as a PR intern, spreading the word about HSP to the public. In addition to doing community outreach, Ashley has shown leadership through supervising volunteer groups. Volunteerism and service prove to be a large part in Ashley’s life, which is what inspired her to intern at HSP. Ashley attends St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, where she is double majoring in communication and graphic design. After graduation, she hopes to work in PR, marketing, or advertising.

            

              Throughout her time at HSP, Ashley feels she has become more knowledgeable about the workplace and community outreach. She has gained experience in a work environment and has learned a lot about advertising which she will help her in future job positions.

            

             Ashley is a hard worker and has been an enormous asset to HSP. We have all enjoyed getting to know her this summer. Everyone at HSP will not only miss her work ethic, but also, her happy, easygoing spirit! We wish her all the best in her future, and know that she will do wonderful wherever she goes from here!

            

Allured Business Media 2nd Annual Garage Sale

Hey HSP friends,

We need your help! Allured Business Media is hosting their 2^nd annual Garage Sale on behalf of the Humanitarian Service Project all of the profits made from this event will go to add and permanently support a needy senior in our Senior Citizen Project. In addition, Allured will match every dollar spent at the garage sale up to $7,500.

Where do you come in?

Allured is looking for donations of gently used and working items. Items can include furniture, lamps, toys, dishware, clothing, and accessories (handbags, jewelry, and scarves), baby furniture, sporting goods, pots/pans, household decorations, exercise equipment, electronics, collectibles, and Books/CDs/DVDs. If you have any of these items just collecting dust around your house feel free to make a donation. Items can be dropped off at Allured Business Media, EVERY Friday in August from 9 AM to 3 PM.  Their address is 336 Gundersen Drive, Suite A, Carol Steam, IL.

But, what if I don’t have any items to donate?

That’s okay! You can join HSP for the 5,000 sq. ft. garage sale. There are going to be thousands of items to choose from. The garage sale runs September 6^th and 7^th from 9 AM to 4 PM in the Allured Business Media parking lot, 336 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL.

HSP would like to thank Allured for hosting another garage sale this year. We know that it will be a great success. If you have any questions feel free to contact HSP at (630)221-8340 or e-mail us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org. You can also visit the Allured Garage Sale Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AlluredGarageSale. Help us spread the word by telling your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. 

Bethlehem Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School Donates to HSP!

Some of the Donations from the Bethlehem Lutheran VBS Toy Drive

 Bethlehem Lutheran Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) (in St. Charles) held a toy drive on be half of the needy children in our Children’s Birthday Project. This past Friday representatives from the church came to our center to deliver several bags and one huge box of toys. Some of the toys included Legos, cars/trucks, and even a children’s guitar.

One of the Letters Written by a VBS Student.

The children who attended Bethlehem Lutheran’s VBS program visited our center a few weeks ago and helped choose, sort, and wrap presents for the needy children in our Children’s Birthday Project. The children volunteered and learned more about our project, and why they were running a toy drive for our needy children. The children had a great time volunteering, we are very grateful for all of their help and for the cute thank you notes they sent us in the mail.

Our Children’s Birthday Project reaches out to children ages 3 to 11 who live in poverty in DuPage and Kane Counties. We create very special and unforgettable birthday packages for needy children, which this great donation from the kids of Bethlehem Lutheran VBS will be a part of. We want to thank Bethlehem Lutheran Church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) for all of their help and for their donations. We know that the needy children will greatly appreciate it. If you are your group is interested in volunteering or donating to HSP please contact us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org  or call us at (630)221-8340.

Happy Trails, Tierney!

It has been a week of farewells at the Humanitarian Service Project, as today we said goodbye to Tierney Hogan, our Senior Citizen Project Coordinator. Tierney will be going back to school to pursue a Master’s degree in Accounting. Tierney spent nearly two years working at HSP, overseeing all aspects of our Senior Citizen Project. Tierney’s talent and intelligence were a blessing for the program, which continued to thrive in her capable hands. We have been blessed to have Tierney here to help train our new Senior Citizen Project Coordinator, Michelle Heron, preparing her to take over the position. While Tierney will be missed by everyone around the office, we share her enthusiasm in starting this exciting new chapter in her life.

This morning, HSP staff members had a going away party to recognize all that Tierney has done and to wish her the best in all of her future endeavors. Through her dedication, Tierney touched the lives of not only the 122 needy seniors enrolled in the Senior Citizen Project, but the lives of the staff members and volunteers of the HSP family as well. Please join us in bidding a fond “bon voyage” to Tierney.

Goodbye Byron, Mike and Nate! You Will Be Missed!

As summer comes to a close, the staff of Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) slowly had to say goodbye to their valued summer interns as they head back to school for fall semester. Today the staff is saying farewell to not one, but three interns.  Michael Thurston, Nathan Rygh and Byron McGuire helped immensely in serving needy children and seniors living in the DuPage and Kane County area. They have demonstrated a vast amount of skills that will serve them well as they make their way into the professional world.

Nathan has worked as a Project Management intern for the summer. He spearheaded a new outreach program that gets local businesses involved with HSP’s Senior Citizen Project. He helped HSP reach out to over 100 local businesses in order to educate them about HSP’s mission. He has also helped to design communication plans to keep track of all of HSP’s outreach efforts.

Byron worked as a Grant Writing intern, but he was flexible throughout his internship and worked a plethora of tasks. He wrote grant proposals and researched potential grant funding sources for HSP. As well as his immediate responsibilities for his internship, Byron worked his creative muscles by posting content to HSP’s social media sites and producing videos to educate the public about HSP.

Michael was a General intern that worked on an abundance of tasks throughout his internship at HSP. He spent the majority of his time writing senior updates. These updates are used to send to potential and current sponsors for the senior citizens enrolled in the Senior Citizen Project. He also helped research potential sources for grant funding and supervised volunteer groups.

All three of these men have demonstrated a strong work ethic and have been invaluable to the HSP team. They will be thoroughly missed by everyone at HSP. We know they will excel with their future endeavors and everything that they put their minds to. Congratulations, guys on a job well done!

Final Distribution Day Before FTK Kids Return to School

Local families gathered at Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) to pick up their final food package for the summer. In the last few weeks, volunteers, staff and interns have stocked and organized 100 food packages to prepare for the final Feed the Kids (FTK) distribution day. It is quite a process from start to finish, but thanks to our wonderful volunteers we never skipped a beat. The weather couldn’t have been better, with clear blue skies and a temperature in the low 80s, it was the perfect condition outside to get the job done.

HSP runs the Feed the Kids program in June, July and August and targets the major issue of hunger relief.  More specifically, the program provides food to those who are enrolled in their school’s subsidized lunch program. Once school is out for the summer, the children no longer have access to healthy meals. This is where HSP steps in and provides these impoverished children with a monthly delivery of fresh, nutritious groceries.

Throughout the summer, FTK distributes a monthly food package to 100 impoverished families living in the DuPage and Kane County area. The food package includes 175 lbs of non-perishables, 15 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, 7 kinds of frozen meats, 3 loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread. They have plenty of food to last them before they return to school in the fall.

HSP would like to thank all of the volunteers that came out today to help out for a great cause. There were a variety of volunteers that worked in the warehouse, which included members of the Carol Stream Chapter of the Young Men Service League and friends of the project. Even though FTK ends today, there are many opportunities for prospective volunteers to participate in HSP’s projects. Each and every one of the volunteers helps these impoverished families for the better and HSP is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. If you or someone you know is interested in helping to make a difference, please call (630) 221-8340 or email us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org. 

Volunteers Help HSP Prepare for a Busy Week!

This week is a very exciting time for the Humanitarian Service Project as we are reaching the height of our two summertime projects; School Supply Drive and Feed the Kids. We would like to thank all of the volunteers who lent their assistance today, at our center, to help us make our final preparations, in order to close off these two summer projects on a high note.

The morning began with assistance from Jeff Marker and Jennifer Soto-Burrell, who are two of our wonderful volunteers; they helped us load our vans and deliver school supplies to the Odeum in Villa Park. Every summer we collect school supplies to donate to DuPage Counties Regional Office of Education’s Annual School Supply Fair. This School Supply Fair provides school supplies to impoverished children located in DuPage County. We donated 6 pallets full of different types of school supplies which packed our two cargo vans to the brim. We would like to thank all the people who donated to our School Supply Drive and Jeff and Jennifer for all of their help today loading and unloading all of the supplies. If you have new school supplies that you would like to donate, we are still collecting supplies to donate directly to local impoverish schools, once the school year begins.

This morning 7 associates from the Kohl’s located in Wheaton helped us prepare for our last Feed the Kids distribution day of the summer, which is tomorrow. FTK supplies 100 impoverished families (approximately 375 children) with 175 lbs. of nutritious groceries during each of the summer months of June, July, and August. During the summer, many of the families lack access to nutritious food because they can no longer rely on the subsidized lunches they received during the school year. FTK helps to supply the families with groceries once a month in order to fill that void. Each month, all the families receive a selection of 15 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, 3 boxes of non-perishables weighing 25 pounds each, 7 kinds of frozen meats, and 3 loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread. The Kohl’s associates assisted us with sorting produce and bread for our families. The Kohl’s employees from Wheaton frequently volunteer at our center. They are a part of their company’s nationwide “Kohl’s Cares” initiative. Through this program Kohl’s encourages their employees to positively impact their local communities by volunteering at nonprofit organizations, such as HSP, who are devoted to serving needy children. These volunteers did a great job today and really helped us prepare for tomorrows big day.

HSP would like to thank all of today’s volunteers that helped us prepare for our two projects. They all did a remarkable job. If you or your group is interesting in helping HSP give us a call at (630)221-8340 to find out more information. 

Local Groups Supports Needy Children Get Ready for School!

From Left: Rick Tayfel, Jon Bartelt, Tim Jarzemsky,
Chuck Kinnaman

          We here at HSP are deep in the swing of our annual school supply drive. For the drive, HSP has been reaching out to community members and local organizations to participate in donating school supplies to help needy children in DuPage and Kane Counties. Over the past several days, HSP has received dozens of generous donations of school supplies, gathered through drives! We will deliver the fantastic school supplies we received to the DuPage Regional Office of Education’s Back to School Fair tomorrow.

            We would like to thank the many wonderful groups that have donated school supplies including BP, Pella Windows and Doors, Insight, Plymouth Tube Company, NEC Display Solutions, Chubb Insurance, the Rotary Club of Bloomingdale and Roselle, and a ton of local community members. These supplies will equip the needy children in our communities with what they need to be successful the coming school year. We heavily rely on drives and donations such as the ones these organizations and community members have taken part in. There is still time to bring in school supplies to help local needy children! We will still distribute supplies directly to schools in need after the fair. If you are interested in donating or in learning more information about our programs, please call us at (630) 221-8340 or email us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org.

Thanks for a great summer, Ashvini!

Today is another bittersweet day in the office, as it is Ashvini’s last day of her summer internship. She has spent the last three months working with Bridget, the Administrative Assistant, in the front office working on community outreach, supervising volunteer groups, and recruiting support for the annual school supply drive.

Ashvini attends Saint Louis University and studies Pre-Law. She will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts and Science in Political Science. After graduation, she plans to attend law school to become a lawyer.

Throughout her internship at Humanitarian Service Project, Ashvini feels that working in an office environment has strengthened her communication skills. She has enjoyed getting to know her coworkers and fellow interns.

Everyone at HSP, in turn, will also miss Ashvini, not only for her strong worth ethic, but also her cheerful sunny personality!

It is Almost Alex’s Birthday!

            Today, at HSP we were happy to celebrate our second staff birthday this week. Tomorrow is our wonderful staff member, Alex Gordy’s Birthday. As Alex will be taking a much deserved day off tomorrow to prepare for a race this weekend, we couldn't help but celebrate a little early. Alex is a special member of our HSP team; he is the Database Administrator keeping everything up-to-date. Along with that, Alex plays an integral role in the success of our Feed the Kids program during the summer, Christmas Offering project during the holidays, and many other events/projects in between. On a daily basis, Alex brings a light-hearted yet motivated attitude to HSP, and always does his best for the sake of the needy seniors, children, and families we serve. We are very happy to have Alex on our team and appreciate everything he does for HSP.

Knowing Alex’s birthday is tomorrow; HSP’s interns and staff gathered today for lunch in the café and enjoyed a very delicious cake, made by HSP’s resident “Ace of Cakes,” Bridget Dooley. It was a wonderful team party and we were all happy to celebrate his special day with him. Join us in wishing Alex a very happy birthday and many more years to happiness.