Make a Difference Day Annual Challenge

For years USA Today has fostered a wonderful spirit of volunteerism with Make a Difference Day. Now, you can help your favorite cause (HSP, of course) when you
plan a project for Oct. 23 and submit it for awards consideration. HSP could be in the running for $10,000 from Newman's Own.



Follow this link for more details and call HSP for ideas about how you can Make a Difference!

Morgan Stanley Supports HSP with Volunteer Hours

We couldn't have a better team than those volunteers from Morgan Stanley. Over the course of four days, by our count, we had nearly 30 Morgan Stanley volunteers in our warehouse sorting food and filling boxes for July's Feed the Kids. With 100 families served by this summertime nutrition project, that means we needed a total of 400 boxes completed. Boxes weigh 25 pounds and contain hearty main meals and soups, tuna, pasta and pasta, cereal, canned fruit, pancake mix, syrup, peanut butter and jelly and more. Feed the Kids fills the void that low-income children and their families find in the summer when they do not have access to free or reduced-cost school meals.

It's hard to imagine a harder working team than these folks. Thanks to Marnie Niziolek and Mary Andreotta for their help in organizing the service.

Help Fill Feed the Kids Boxes (and the stomachs of hungry children)

We have enough nonperishable food for our July Feed the Kids but not enough for the August distribution. We need 2,500 more pounds. That’s enough food for 100 boxes each with a weight of 25 lbs. We are even finding shortages at our best (and most economical) source for purchasing food, Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Can you do a food drive for us? This is a great project for vacation Bible school, summer camps, or even your own neighborhood, club, or church. The children in Feed the Kids depend on us to fill the void left when school is out and they do not have free or reduced-cost school meals to help meet their nutritional needs.

We need any amount of:

main meals & hearty soups,

peanut butter & jelly,

pancake mix & syrup,

pasta & sauce,

canned fruit,

cereal, crackers,

and healthy snacks

A Big THANKS for Helping!!!

by Sheila Noblitt, HSP Staff

Thank you for the generous donations made this Friday, from our hearts to yours…

by Mariel Marte, Volunteer

 
(Bethani next to the donated goods from Kay’s Kupboards)

We would like to thank Ed & Kay Hedeen (from Kay’s Kupboards in Warrenville) for holding a food drive in response to our call for 5,000 pounds extra food, which resulted in two grocery carts full of groceries. Thank you for your generosity.

(Gail Hudgins next to a bike that will go to a very lucky birthday girl.)

Not only will she receive this lovely bike, but she will also receive a complementary helmet & bike lock! Our lovely donors really take that extra step and think of the details. Thank you Gail for your generosity and consideration with regards to your birthday gift recipient’s safety.

 
(left: Adding more decorations, right: Gift also includes a helmet & bike lock!)

Thank you Gail as well as Ed & Kay Heeden for all of the generous donations.

Clarendon Hills Library Hosts HSP Display

If you are in Clarendon Hills, check out our new display at the Clarendon Hills Libary. Circulation Manager Leanne Pavel was kind enough to help arrange for the Humanitarian Service Project to have this opportunity.

HSP is in Need of Help!!!!!

By: Megan Sturomski, intern

HSP is urgent need of volunteers to help Saturday, May 8th for our annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, which is sponsored and performed by our local mail carriers. They will collect food from door to door and deliver it to their Post Offices. We are grateful to receive this food to help support our Feed the Kids which will serve 90 families(300 children) and Senior Citizen Project (serving 116 seniors each month). Volunteers at the post offices will load the food items and bring them to our center, and volunteers at our location will unload the vehicles and sort the non-perishable food.

POP AND PIZZA FOR ALL!!!!!!

This is a great project for students who need hours for NHS. Please let us know if you or your school may be interested in helping us. If so, please contact our facility at (630) 221-8340 or email at cbp@humanitarianservice.org.

Thank you so very much!!!

The Power of Purpose

by Sheila Noblitt
The Carol Stream Rotary Club did a community-wide food drive. Last weekend, 29 neighborhood partners fanned out to 3,500 homes, collecting bags of food left by mailboxes. A few days before, these same volunteers had dropped off flyers attached to empty grocery bags.

Our volunteer van driver, Pete Laabs, himself a Carol Stream resident, went over Monday morning to collect the food set aside for the Humanitarian Service Project. Pete brought the van back full and soon returned for another load. We didn't know quite what to expect, and I don't think the Rotary did either. This was their first food drive afterall.

Rotary President Luanne Triolo and club members rallied all of Carol Stream behind their mission to make sure hungry people are fed. They certainly wowed us! Thanks to all who donated and thanks to our friends at the Rotary!

Recent Happenings

by Karleen Hubbard
HSP Intern

This summer brought the return of Feed the Kids here at HSP. This year was a great success, and 259 families were provided with a month of groceries. Through June, July, and August, grocery packages were distributed to families. Each package included fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, meat, snacks, and non-perishables. Many grateful families send their thank-you's to the volunteers who donated the food. Especially appreciated were the fruits and veggies, which are vital for nutrition but too expensive for many families to purchase.

Still in full swing is the collection of school supplies for young students in the area. HSP, with the help of volunteers, is meeting the needs of both families and schools who do not have the means to purchase supplies to kick off this school year.

HSP is still receiving requests for school supplies, so donations are greatly appreciated. Volunteers may collect supplies and visit us in Carol Stream to drop them off. Any supply will do, including pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks, backpacks, markers, colored pencils, erasers, and so on.

I'll leave you with a quote from a grateful mother and recipient of our School Supply Project...

"I am a single mother of 2 children and struggling, but thanks to your kindness
they had what they needed for school the first day! Words cannot express
grateful I am to all of you that made this possible! I prayed for a miracle and
my prayers were answered. May God bless you all!"

Thanks again to our amazing volunteers for their involvement in the School Supply Drive and Feed the Kids program this summer!

Until next time,
Karleen & The HSP Staff


PS Our address below if you'd like to donate school supplies:
465 Randy Rd.
Carol Stream, IL 60188

Or give us a call at: 630-221-8340