A Heartwarming Gift from the Willow Creek Church

By: Eva Karakostas, intern

The Willow Creek Community Church made a wonderful donation to us this Christmas by donating over 750 coats for children in our programs. We are so happy and thankful to be receiving such a wonderful gift that will greatly help the children in need.

This Christmas the Willow Creek Community Church focused their holiday initiatives around the theme "Just Christmas" and said that, "this play on words not only represents the reminder to all of us to get back to the original story of Christmas; it challenges us to actively participate in bringing justice to those in our local community who need it." As a church body, Willow Creek engaged in two activities for the "Just Christmas" initiative: Collecting new coats for children in need and serving in their local communities throughout Chicagoland. Our friends at the Willow Creek Church said, "it is our desire to touch 10,000 families with the love of Christ by having new children's coats distributed throughout the city of Chicago and its suburbs." They collected 11,000 coats!

We at the Humanitarian Service Project are very thankful to Willow Creek and their amazing donation which helps our organization by allowing us to distribute warm coats to these wonderful children who need our help.

A Great Christmas Event Helps the Humanitarian Service Project

By: Eva Karakostas, intern



The Rotary Club of Wheaton recently held its annual Christmas Inn fundraiser. This event featured dinner, entertainment, a silent auction, a live auction, and a split the pot raffle. In addition, the Rotary Club of Wheaton helps the Boy Scouts of America, DuPage County Convalenscence Center, JUST of DuPage, the Rotary Youth Exchange, and furnishes college scholarships among other projects. The Humanitarian Service Project is one of the non-profit organizations that will benefit from this event by helping out with sponsoring families for our Christmas Offerings. Pictured here are Roger Tully, Wheaton Club club Director and local Wheaton electrician, and Karole Kettering, Founder and Executive Director of the Humanitarian Service Project.

A Crafty Christmas Idea

by Sheila Noblitt, HSP Staff

Aurora crafter Stephanie found a creative way to help HSP. She's donating one craft item for our new Arts & Crafts Kits for each Etsy sale she made through last Saturday, a total of 48 items. Her shop QuintessentialQuirks specializes in poptop mini-pin cushions among other cute items. Stephanie and her husband Brian are also planning to donate their time during our upcoming Boxing Party next Sunday.

I marveled at last year's Boxing Party, my first, as a small army of volunteers tackled a mini-mountain of presents, carrying huge bags of toys into the warehouse. Much like a symphony conductor, our Founder and Executive Director Karole took the stage to orchestrate the production. With 30 years under her belt, Karole and company pretty much have this day down to a science much like Santa and his Elves must.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Humanitarian Service Project.

Molly comes to visit!

By: Eva Karakostas, intern

It was an exciting day here at the Humanitarian Service Project as Karole's dogsitter's boxer dog "Molly" came to visit us on Tuesday, December 1st. Molly is a cute and lovable 9 week old puppy and everyone quickly gathered around to see her when she came in for a visit. We love getting visitors here at our center and Molly certainly was a joy to see.

Her Support is "Perfect"!

By: Stephanie Ferrini and Eva Karakostas, Interns

and Shelia, Staff

This time of year, the Humanitarian Service Project counts our blessings and one of those blessings is long time supporter Marylou Johnson. Over the years, Marylou has sponsored several children through our Children's Birthday Project and has been a secret pal for a senior citizen married couple through our Senior Citizen Project. She has volunteered and became a devoted member of our 'Pot of Gold' program.

When Marylou was a teenager, she had a group of four close friends. They were in the drum and bugle corps together. They would sit on the back of the bus and called themselves the "perfects." Fifty years later, the "perfects" still get together for a luncheon every year. This Christmas the group decided that instead of giving each presents, they would donate $54 to sponsor a child in our Children's Birthday Project. Their gift provides a 25 pound box stuffed with new toys, books, stuffed animals, school suppilies, and the party-in-a-bag with the ingredients for a happy birthday party celebration.