Birthday & Christmas Gifts Delivered to Schools

In partnership with two local schools, today HSP delivered gifts to needy children who are part of our Children’s Birthday Project and Christmas Offering programs.  Today marks the first delivery of gifts to our newest school partner, Army Trail Elementary in Addison.  As part of the Children’s Birthday Project, HSP delivered 41 birthday boxes for the neediest students at Army Trail.  Given to a severely impoverished child, each box contains 6-10 new toys and games, 6 books, school supplies, stuffed animals, and a complete party-in-a-bag kit that includes decorations, cake mix, and candles.

            We also made a visit to another partner school, Valley View Head Start in St. Charles.  There, our volunteers delivered 35 bags of Christmas gifts, and eight birthday boxes.  Aside from providing over 1,600 children and 123 senior citizens in DuPage and Kane counties with Christmas gifts, the Christmas Offering also supplies 150 needy families with 3-4 weeks of groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, non-perishables, and a turkey & holiday meal kit. 

At both schools, the children served by HSP all suffer under the weight and stress poverty brings.  Thanks to our delivery volunteers, Dean Senne and Jeff Marker, these children are able to celebrate special occasions like birthdays and Christmas.  Thanks to all of our supporters, including volunteers like Dean and Jeff, HSP is able to reach out to these children who otherwise would have nothing, at a time when every child should have special recognition.

Thanks to the YMSL

Yesterday HSP hosted 18 boys and moms from the Carol Stream “Panther” Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL.) This volunteer group spent over two hours in our warehouse yesterday afternoon sorting bread for the needy senior citizens and families we serve. The YMSL have dedicated themselves to assisting HSP reach out to those suffering under poverty in our communities, and have been very thoughtful and prolific volunteers. In fact, the volunteer event yesterday was the third time YMSL volunteers came to help out this month! We also hosted YMSL volunteers on November 8^th and 11^th who helped sort food for the needy families we will be serving through our Christmas Offering.

The Young Men’s Service League is an organization in which mothers and teenaged sons work together to engage in “meaningful community work.” The Carol Stream Young Men’s Service League Chapter have definitely accomplished this goal through all that they have done to help us meet the needs of the impoverished seniors, children, and families we serve!

            Being deep in the preparation stage of our Christmas Offering, it was great having these wonderful YMSL volunteers helping out. We still have a few volunteer spots open in the months of December. If you are interested in helping HSP provide wonderful Christmas memories to needy children and seniors, like YMSL, call or email HSP at 630-221-8340 or hsp@humanitarianservice.org.

Thank You, First Trust Cares!

          FT Cares, the charitable division of First Trust in Wheaton, generously donated 87 children’s coats as well as some additional hats and gloves. First Trust brought the donation to our center on Friday last week. First Trust donated these very warm, brand-new coats in all sizes and in both boys’ and girls’ styles. They showed extra care by matching scarf sets to the coats.

          These donated items will be given to the families in the Christmas Offering. Some of the children will receive these greatly needed coats, hats, and gloves as extra items in addition to the toys, books, and games they receive through the Christmas Offering. HSP would like to thank FT Cares, who began partnering with HSP earlier this year, for their thoughtful and generous donation. 

Thanks to Syracuse High SOS and BMW!

Today was a very exciting day here at HSP, as we had two wonderful volunteer groups helping us end the week on a strong note.

The first group made its way to us all the way from Syracuse, Nebraska. This group of 43 students and chaperones from Syracuse High School, was one of, if not the largest single volunteer groups HSP has ever had. These students volunteered with HSP as part of their SOS (Students of Service) Club’s service trip. The SOS club branched off of the school’s former FCCLA club with the mission of getting students directly involved in community service. Allison Beers, the FACS teacher at Syracuse High, said that the purpose of the trip was to allow the students to get out of their familiar surroundings and experience how giving service can do so much for those in need. On top of spending two hours making Christmas gift packages for needy children, organizing meat packages for hungry families, and organizing paper products for impoverished seniors, while they are in the area, these students will also be volunteering with Feed My Starving Children, as well as the Mike Hike Charitable 5k in Homer Glen tomorrow.

The second set of volunteers who graciously gave their time today was a group of 10 from the Central Region of BMW North America in Schaumburg. BMW encourages its employees to spend a day serving the community, so these volunteers generously spent nearly the entire day at HSP assisting with a number of tasks including the sorting of non-perishables to be distributed to needy families during Christmas, organizing bread for needy seniors and families, and even helping send letters to the families in our Christmas Offering! These employees of BMW were really gung-ho volunteers, and even brought a donation of non-perishable food as well!

Both of these groups were full of enthusiasm and took to the tasks we had for them with great attitudes. We wish to thank both of them for the invaluable support they provided today to benefit the needy children, families and seniors we serve. With the first distribution of our Christmas Offering less than a month away, it takes the heartfelt support of many groups like these in order for us to reach the over 1,600 children and 123 seniors served through the program. We still have a few open volunteer spots in the month of December, so if you are interested in lending a hand, like these two magnificent groups, please call HSP at 630-221-8340.

Thank You, Girl Scout Troop 1836!

Today, Girl Scout Troop #1836 from Wiesbrook Elementary in Wheaton donated 8 party in a bag kits they had made for needy children plus extra party supplies. Each party in a bag included everything needed to create a memorable birthday party – cake mix, frosting, candles, balloons, streamers, cups, napkins, plates, and party favors. The girl scouts brought the kits to HSP’s center and received a tour of our facility to learn about how their support has helped us serve kids in need.

The kits the girls made will be used for the birthday boxes in our Children’s Birthday Project (CBP). Children in the CBP receive a birthday box on their birthday, filled with 6-10 toys and games, 6 books, school supplies, stuffed animals, and a complete party-in-bag kit. The donated party in a bag kits will help the children celebrate and make their day special.

Christmas Offering Food Drives

            As December draws nearer, preparation for the upcoming Christmas Offering is kicking into high gear here at HSP.  Many organizations and individuals have generously been hosting food drives to help us collect over 20 tons needed to provide 150 families and 123 seniors with food this Christmas.  Over the past couple of days in particular we've received several food drives from local groups that we would like to take this chance to thank!

The first we received is from St. Walter’s Parish School.  The school has been a dedicated supporter of HSP and in the past, they have contributed their time, supported our seniors through monetary donations and held food drives on our behalf.  Recently they collected well over half a van full of non-perishables for the Christmas Offering!  Black Hawk School also showed their support for the Christmas Offering by donating 6 large bags of food and paper products that will greatly benefit the families and seniors in our programs.  Finally, with the donations of its residents, the Homeowners Association of Danada North made a very generous donation of non-perishables to HSP. 

            We are so grateful for the continued support of these generous donors.  Thank you all for your dedicated support!  The food donated makes a tremendous difference in the lives of the children and seniors we serve. 

            These donations have given us a great start to this giving season, but we still need your help.  Serving 150 families and 123 seniors this Christmas requires over 20 tons of food! If you are interested in hosting a food drive or making a food donation to benefit our Christmas Offering and Senior Citizen Project please contact us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org or visit our website at www.humanitarianservice.org.  

Thanks for Everything, Alex!

Alex, pictured fourth from right, on her last day.

            Last Friday, we here at HSP bid farewell to a member of our wonderful intern team, Alex Carpio.  In the two months she was here, Alex lent immeasurable support to HSP by assisting with a number of different projects.

             Among these projects, Alex helped manage the waiting list for our Christmas Offering.  She took and organized requests from families in need who wished to be added to the list so that they might share in our Christmas Offering.  Thanks in major part to Alex’s hard work, HSP will be able to provide many of the children in these needy families with exciting new Christmas gifts and warm holiday memories.

            In addition to her assistance with this important part of our Christmas Offering, Alex also helped with a number of other projects, including community outreach campaigns and by contributing to HSP’s social media sites.  Aside from her given assignments, Alex was always very quick to assist with her Spanish-speaking skills.

            We are truly thankful for all Alex has done for the sake of the needy families and seniors in our programs.  Alex will surely be missed around HSP’s office for her hard-working, sunny attitude.  We wish her the best as she moves forward onto new and exciting experiences!