Theres No Place Like Home - Volunteer Newsletter July 2011

July 2011

Volunteer Vibe

For Connections for the Homeless Volunteers

Quick Links

Most Needed Items

The Job Readiness Training Workshop starts June 27. We have 15 participants and hope to be able to supply each of them with supplies for their job search and future employment. Consider donating some of the items below to help someone back into a job.

CTA day or 7 day passes

Target gift cards for uniform requirements

Flash drives

Portfolio folders

*** If you have unused Dominicks or Jewel giftcards we can also use those to purchase CTA passes.

THANK YOU!

To all the individuals and groups who supported Connections for the Homeless with in-kind donations.

Concerned community groups and businesses who gave in-kind items in June included:

Campus Kitchens

Christ Church of Winnetka

Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation

The Church of the Ladder Day Saints - Young Single Adults

Convent of the Holy Spirit

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Mt. Zion Tabernacle Church

North Shore Community Bank & Trust

Northwestern University

St. Catherine Laboure Church

Square Bakery

Starbucks

Tiny Dog Bakery

Unitarian Church of Evanston

OUR SPONSORS!

Visit our Sponsor

Visit Our Sponsor

Greetings!

I'm sending the newsletter a bit early in hopes that you all can plan to join us for the Fourth of July festivities in Evanston this year. Baird & Warner Evanston has given us a unique opportunity to publicize our work and educate the community about how they can join the fight against homelessness on the North Shore. With all the budget cuts that are facing us in the 2012 fiscal year this is a great way for us to get more attention and attract even more support from our neighbors. Those of you who already know how we help people stay in their homes and re-house those who have become homeless are the best ones to help us spread the word.

Most of you should also be hearing from Connections this week via our year-end appeal. I hope you will take the time to read the Raise the Roof Campaign summary. Our Development Director, Sue Loellbach, did a great job of sharing our program challenges and successes in a very honest and transparent way. If you are able, I ask that you give to the year-end appeal so that we can start the new fiscal year as strong as possible. I also ask you to read the appeal so that you can share any ideas you might have about how to navigate the new economic realities (brought on by severely limited government resources). Your thoughts and insights are going to be a part of any success that we achieve in the coming year. Give me a call!

Peace to you,

Lisa Todd

Volunteer & Events Coordinator

There's No Place Like Home

Join us on the Evanston Fourth of July parade as we walk together - clients, volunteers, staff and donors of Connections for the Homeless. Baird & Warner Evanston

is sponsoring us in the parade and we are looking for friends of Connections to walk (or ride on the float) with us. This will be a very fun day and a great way to remind people about our work in the community. The parade is at 2pm. Participants will need to be at the meeting point by 12:30pm. Look for the "There's No Place Like Home" banners and float. We are still waiting on our placement assignment. Contact Lisa Todd, Volunteer Coordinator for details as they are made available,

lt@cfthinc.org

or 847-424-0945 x.17 .

Bag Lunches - Great Volunteer Opportunity for Kids

Are the kids off school for the summer and already telling you they're bored? We could use their help! We are looking for volunteers to provide bag lunches for our drop-in program. Lunches are needed throughout the week and can be dropped off Sunday-Thursday, 6-9pm or Monday-Thursday between 9am-noon. We ask that the lunches have a meat sandwich and a beverage - other items are wonderful but optional. If you are interested in helping donate food please contact Lisa Todd at lt@cfthinc.org or 847-424-0945 x.17

nicor gas
Nicor Gas blows us away!

On May 21 we underwent a major transformation thanks to the hard work and in-kind donations of Nicor Gas employees. The team of about 20 people painted our main hallway at Hilda's Place Transitional Shelter, all of the lockers in the men's and women's dorms, made repairs to our women's bathroom, installed light covers and a new handrailing for the basement staircase.

The entire makeover took only 4 hours but made a huge impact on our space. Rusty, multi-colored and dirty lockers were given a new life. Peeling paint on exposed pipes and broken light fixtures were all resolved by the end of their work day. Thank you to Jim Tansor, their community relations staff member who went above and beyond the call of duty. He created a project list that made a big difference for our residents and clients!

New Volunteer Orientation

If you'd like to learn more about Connections for the Homeless or if you are interested in volunteering in one of our programs please plan to attend an orientation. We will tour our 1458 Chicago Ave. location, home to Hilda's Place Transitional Shelter and Entry Point drop-in program and talk about the agencies mission and current volunteer needs. Orientations in July wil be:

Saturday, 7/9 at 10-11am OR

Thursday, 7/14 at 12:30-1:30pm

Please RSVP to lt@cfthinc.org or 847-424-0945x17.

In-kind donations can be delivered to 1458 Chicago Ave. in Evanston (the basement entrance at the northwest corner of the

Lake Street Church).

Drop off on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 pm and any evening between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. or call for an appointment, 847-424-0945 x17.

Please ring the bell and have a staff member receive the donation.