We will be collecting nonperishable food items (no glass items) for charity at the December Holiday Party again. The food is donated to the local Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry for distribution.  Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry is a community-based, non-profit organization established to provide food and personal care essentials to residents in need.

This year we would like to again increase our generosity to another good cause.  Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. is a social agency in Chicago and Oak Park serving individuals with disabilities or other limiting conditions that need help in finding and pursuing paths leading to healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.  They need our help in two programs: a collection of adult and children clothing and a collection of new children's toys.

The collection of adult men and women’s clothing is for their clients to use for job interviews.  The collection of children’s clothing is for their emergency foster care program serving children who have been removed from their homes because of neglect or abuse or because the foster home placement was disrupted.  Most of these children will be coming from their homes after being taken from their family; often with nothing but the clothes they are wearing.  They are requesting boys’ and girls’ clothing for the age range from infant to 17 years old.

The second project is a collection of children's toys for toddlers to 12 year olds.

Please open your heart to both of these programs and bring a nonperishable food item and a piece of gently used or new clothing or a new toy to the holiday party.