With the arrival of the yuletide season, churches, schools, clubs and civic groups have swung into action to make the holidays a little happier for folks struggling to make ends meet. Among the places where new toys, non-perishable food, warm coats or cash donations would be welcome:
Bartlett Blanket Drive: The Village of Bartlett and the Bartlett Police Department are collecting new and used blankets and winter clothing and new toys and gifts for area charities. Donations may be dropped off at any time at the Bartlett Police Station, 228 S. Main St., beginning Friday. The charity drive continues through Dec. 15.
Clothing will be donated to the Wayne Township Clothing Drive and the blankets will go to the Warm Wishes Foundation. Persons who want to donate gifts are asked to take a tag from the Salvation Army Angel Tree at the police station, buy a gift and return the gift with the tag to the police station. Gifts will be distributed by the Salvation Army. For more information on any of the programs call Cindy Way at the Bartlett Police Department, 630-837-0846.
Bensenville Toy Drive: Now in its 30th year, Bensenville’s annual community toy drive seeks to provide new toys and other gifts for nearly 500 village babies, children and youths through age 14. Suggested gift items include toys, games, books, puzzles, coloring books and art supplies, crafts kits, batteries, cash, and health and beauty items suitable for teens.
Donations may be dropped into collection boxes at a variety of locations in the village, including Bensenville Village Hall, Bensenville Community Public Library, Bensenville Police Station, Bensenville Youth Services and other participating agencies, schools and businesses. The project is a joint effort that involves the Bensenville Community Youth Services Coalition Inc., the Village of Bensenville, Bensenville Community Public Library, Fenton High School, Blackhawk Middle School and Chicago Steel.
Volunteers are needed to wrap gifts between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at the public library, 200 S. Church Rd. For more information about making a donation, donation box locations, or volunteering, call the Village of Bensenville Youth Services Department at 630-350-3436 or 630-350-3437.
Burr Ridge Toys for Tots: Families are invited to a breakfast and cookie-decorating session with Santa from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at Brighton Gardens senior residence, 6801 High Grove Blvd. in Burr Ridge. Admission is an unwrapped new toy, which will be donated to the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program.
For more information or to register, call 630-920-2900.
Carol Stream Sharing: The Social Services Unit of the Carol Stream Police Department is seeking donations and volunteers for its annual Christmas Sharing Program. The project provides food, clothing and Christmas gifts for low-income persons in the Carol Stream area.
Donations may be dropped off through Dec. 10 at several locations in Carol Stream, including Glenbard North High School, the Carol Stream Village Hall, the Carol Stream Library and participating elementary schools. New and used clothing should be dropped off at the Lutheran Church of the Master, 580 N. Kuhn Rd. Among the items most needed are new toys, non-perishable food, clothing, paper products, personal hygiene items, baby needs and checks made payable to Carol Stream Christmas Sharing.
The program also needs volunteers to bag groceries, wrap toys, and transport donations to distribution centers. For more information on volunteering or donating goods, call the Social Services Unit at the Carol Stream Police Department at 630-871-6280.
DuPage Holiday Outreach: Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, needs help in filling the holiday “wish lists” of low-income families in DuPage County. Families fill out a wish list for toys and clothing at Catholic Charities’ office in Lombard and are matched up with donors who provide requested items. The charity also needs donations of money with which to purchase gift certificates for food. Last year, more than 3,000 individuals were served through the charity’s Holiday Outreach Program. For more information call Catholic Charities at 630-495-8008.
Elmhurst Coat Drive: Last year’s 2nd annual coat drive, sponsored by Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst), netted nearly 2,000 winter coats and jackets for low-income adults and children living in DuPage and Cook Counties. Organizers hope to collect even more coats during this season’s drive, which is in progress through Dec. 18.
Used coats and jackets in good condition may be dropped off during office hours at the senator’s district office, 105 E. First St. in downtown Elmhurst. The office is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9 a.m. until noon Saturdays. All coats will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Snug Hugs for Kids for distribution in DuPage and Cook Counties. Coat pickups may be arranged for persons unable to drop off coats. For more information call Cronin’s office at 630-941-0040.
Help for Honduras: The WaterDawgs are spearheading a local effort to benefit children and families in Honduras and other areas devastated by Hurricane Mitch. The west suburban scuba diving club is collecting new toys, school supplies, sports equipment and hygiene items in collaboration with the Coral Rewards Toy Fund, a Dallas-based organization founded by a scuba diver to provide Christmas toys for needy children in Honduras and elsewhere.
“It’s ironic that we divers can go to these beautiful countries where there are fabulous resorts and the most beautiful diving in the world, but the people of those countries live in conditions so bad that we cannot comprehend,” noted WaterDawgs member Susan Fiedler, a west suburban project organizer. Fiedler and her husband, Stuart, plan to travel to Honduras to help distribute the toys and other donations.
Contributions may be dropped off at Below H2O, a diving equipment shop at 2950 Ogden Ave. in Aurora. The club also is holding a raffle to raise money for shipping costs and additional toys. Club members plan to shop for gifts Sunday. For more information call Below H2O at 630-820-2531.
Hinsdale South Food Drive: Members of the Key Club and National Honor Society at Hinsdale South High School in Darien are collecting canned and dried foods for area food pantries from Monday through Dec. 8. Donations may be dropped off during the day at the front office of the high school, located at 7401 Clarendon Hills Rd. in Darien. Students also will accept donations before and after school at a semitrailer parked at the school’s entrance. Food will be distributed to Hinsdale Community Service food pantry in Hinsdale, Our Lady of Peace food pantry in Darien and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel pantry in Darien. For more information call Hinsdale South High School at 630-887-1730.
Roselle Toys for Tots: The Village of Roselle and the Roselle Police Department are collecting gifts for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign. New, unwrapped toys may be dropped in barrels located in the Village Hall or at the police station or fire station in Roselle. The collection continues through Dec. 31. For more information call Linda McDermott, Roselle village clerk, at 630-671-2802.
Statewide Snug Hugs: Geneva-based Illinois Merlin Muffler & Brake Shops has launched its 9th Annual Snug Hugs for Kids winter clothing drive. The statewide campaign, which continues through Dec. 13, seeks donations of new and like-new winter coats and other clothing for newborns, children and teens through age 18. The clothing will be distributed through the Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois, which serves more than 40,000 needy children and their families in 40 counties throughout the state.
Suggested donations include coats, boots, scarves, gloves and mittens, hats or earmuffs, warm socks, long underwear and sweatsuits. Donations may be dropped off at Merlin Muffler shops throughout the Chicago area, including shops in Addison, Aurora, Batavia, Lombard, Hanover Park, Glendale Heights, Downers Grove, Naperville, St. Charles, Villa Park and Wheaton. For information on other locations call 800-MERLINS or visit www.merlins.com.
“Maybe you’ll never meet these children; maybe they’ll never know where their new coat has come from,” said Merlin president and CEO Frank Smola. “But, just maybe, the impact will be life-changing.”
Toys for Marklund: The DuPage Flight Center and DuPage Pilots Association are seeking donations of toys, games, art supplies and other gifts for the Marklund Toy Drop holiday party, which will take place Dec. 9 at DuPage Airport in West Chicago. During the event, Santa, Ronald McDonald and area pilots will fly in to deliver gifts to residents of Marklund Homes for the developmentally disabled. Presents should be wrapped, labeled with a description of the gift, and dropped off at the DuPage Flight Center at DuPage Airport by Dec. 8. For more information call Jeannine Zupo at Marklund, 630-529-2018, ext. 2277.
