Happy Giving Tuesday! With so many organizations in need of help this season, I thought it might be helpful to share some of my favorite local causes that I love to support.
- Beacon Place: Earlier this year, I joined the Board at Beacon Place in Waukegan. Beacon Place is a community center in southeast Waukegan with programs for kids and adults. It was established in 2012 by a group of dedicated and inspired individuals who recognized a significant need and decided to do something about it. During Covid when the rest of the world was shut down, Beacon Place organized itself in such a way that volunteers were able to work onsite safely, whether it be in a food distribution program or the educational tutors that assist their students. With so much need, it’s wonderful to know there is place nearby where you can make a difference. Click here for more information if you’d like to volunteer or donate to this wonderful community organization.
- Mothers Trust: I’m not sure any organization has touched me more than Lake Forest’s Mothers Trust. Mothers Trust was founded in 1998 by Lake Forest’s Barbara Monsor. Monsor founded this nonprofit after witnessing firsthand how a seemingly small amount of assistance can change a child’s life. Her idea was simple—to connect people in desperate situations with those who want to provide assistance where it will truly make a difference. At its core, Mothers Trust Foundation fills in financial gaps for children from birth to age 21, in turn providing hope, building confidence, and making a positive difference in young people’s lives. To learn how you can become involved or to donate, click here.
- Camp Hope: For many years, Camp Hope has been an organization that has been near and dear to our family–my mom and younger siblings have been involved since it first came to Lake Forest back in the early 2000s. Then before Covid, my older children had some of their best summers volunteering at camp. In past years, Camp Hope has offered two, one-week sessions of traditional in-person summer camp for teenagers and young adults challenged by developmental disabilities. Last year, the Camp Hope team pivoted and made camp available online. Virtual camp was a huge hit! Camp Hope has hopes of returning to in-person camp in 2022. If you’d like to support them in their efforts, click here.
- GLASA: Thanks to the kindness of many of you, I was able to raise money this year for GLASA (Great Lake Adaptive Sports Association) by running the Chicago Marathon. GLASA, headquartered in Lake Forest, supports those with a physical or visual disability participate in sports. I can’t say enough about the heart of this organization, how wonderful they are to their athletes and how gracious they are to those who support them. If you have a sporty family like mine, it’s wonderful to help make such activities possible for someone else. Click here to learn more or to donate.
- Fill A Heart 4 Kids: Lake Forest’s Annie McAveeney is changing lives. Fifteen years ago, her family took in a little boy that needed a safe home to live in, and that’s when she learned how many children needed a place to live. For this reason, she founded Fill A Heart 4 Kids to provide necessities, educational opportunities, and personal experiences for these children to feel loved and remembered all year long, but especially during the holidays. This year, Amy Turner and Linda Poznansky from Giving Sun Jewelry are partnering with Fill A Heart. They created a gold heart necklace and are giving a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this necklace to Fill A Heart. Giving Sun is passionate about this cause as they believe every child should receive love and a proper chance to thrive in life. To purchase a necklace, click here. To learn more about Fill a Heart or to donate, click here. Lake Forest’s lululemon is also doing a gift drive for Fill A Heart. Stop by the store in Market Square to find out how you can help.
- Boots for Babes: This is a new-to-me cause but one that is sweet and easy to support. McCutcheon Elementary School in Chicago hosts a boot drive every year for its students who often face periods of homelessness in the city. They have created a wish list of their needs on Amazon. To help support them, click here.
I hope this list is helpful!
xo,
Ann Marie