|
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.
Important! Please ring the bell and have a staff member receive the donation.
|
|
Save the Date!
|
|
Special Volunteers Needed
Drivers for Delivery and Donation Pick Ups - Must be able to use your own vehicle. Weekdays, weekend or evening availability. Contact Kate at ks@cfthinc.org if you want more details. |
|
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 November included:
Bennison's Bakery
Bright Spark Travel
Campus Kitchens
Chestnut Mountain Ski Resort
Chiaravalle Montessori School
Community Church of Wilmette
Complete Birkenstock
Convent of the Holy Spirit
Evanston Township High School
Harper Elementary School - the classrooms
- Harper Cub Scouts
- Harper Girl Scouts
Haven Middle School
Holt McDougal
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Iglesia y Cristo
Justin Wynn Leadership Academy
North Shore University Health System
Sherman United Methodist Church
St. Catherine Laboure Church
St. Norbert's Catholic Church
Starbucks, Dempster Ave.
Unitarian Church of Evanston
|
|
Greetings! I'm thinking a lot about hope right now. I think about hope because of the time of the year - our darkest days will literally be behind us after the winter solstice this month. My children also remind me of all the things they are hoping for as part of our family Christmas celebration. Mostly though I'm thinking about hope because of one specific client that we are working with this year.
I met "Mark" when he first came and sought services at the Entry Point Drop-In program and then continued to talk with him when he entered Hilda's Place Transitional Shelter. He was depressed for sure, unemployed, and anxious about where he could afford to live if he ever found work. A couple of months later he was moving into his own apartment, having found a job and having made full use of all the supportive services available through Connections. He was ecstatic. I was too. What we do had made a difference.
I saw Mark last week again after about four months. He was disheveled, unshaven, disorganized, paranoid, and very agitated. My heart sank. He was in his own season of darkness. A chronic mental health problem had cycled through his life again and was severely limiting the type of help that he would or could accept from us. My initial feelings were despair, sadness, and frustration. Then I realized that there was something else going on. He was in bad shape for sure but he was also reaching out and seeking help and we were still here for him. He was living with some kind of hope. What else could move him to wake up every morning and walk through the world again - walking towards the lighter days? Mark reminds me that we all live imperfect lives AND that we all have the capacity to be a light or to trust that the light will come again.
Thank you for all the ways that you shared your light with the  Connections family this year. Our work doesn't always offer quick fixes but it always makes a difference.
Peace to you,
Lisa Todd
Community Relations Manager
847-424-0945 x.11
lt@cfthinc.org
Connections is ending homelessness by preventing people from losing their homes, housing the homeless and providing supoprt to help people at risk achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
|
|
|
Gift of Giving Program
Thank you to everyone who has signed up to participate in the Gift of Giving program! Your generosity will help make the holidays special for local individuals and families in need. So many of our clients who are moving out of homelessness and into their own apartments have very limited supplies. Your gifts can go a long way towards helping someone stabilize in their new home.
Still interested in getting involved with Gift of Giving?
Sign up to make the holidays special for local individuals.
We are currently working to match donors with some of the clients in our Employment Program.
|
|
A Call for Cold Weather Emergency Shelter Volunteers
Connections is partnering with Interfaith Action of Evanston to help them operate a cold weather emergency shelter at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. The shelter will open its doors to house Evanston's homeless on days when weather conditions become dangerous and it is unsafe to sleep outside.
But we need your help! We need multiple volunteers to be on call in January and February to help set up the cots in the evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, to stay overnight to supervise the shelter, to help put away the cots from 6:30am to 7:30am, and to wash the linens from the cots at a local Laundromat. The commitment would most likely be two shifts over two months.
We are having a training on Tuesday, December 6, at 6:30pm at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Kate Siberine at ks@cfthinc.org.
|
Concert Tickets on Sale Now at SPACEEric Martin & Friends will perform original songs inspired by Eric's work as a case manager with Connections. He has created a CD with several clients. (Special note: contributors of $250 or more this month will receive a copy of the CD while supplies last.) |
Breakfast Series Continues
After the New Year
Third-part of a 4-part series
Topic # 3: Homeless Prevention
Date:
Thursday, January 12, 2012 7:30 a.m. Location: Lake St.Church Dinning Room 1458 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL RSVP HERE
|
|
|
|
|
 December
Volunteer Orientations
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.
Orientation this month will be on Monday, December 12 from 1:30 -2:30 pm.
Saturday Service Day
Do you want to help out at Connections, but don't have time for a regular commitment? Come help out at our Saturday Service Day. , call clients, and set up delivery routes. From, 1:00pm to 4:00pm On December 17 from 9:00am to 12:00pm OR 1:00pm to 4:00pm, Connections needs your help with sorting through the large volume of donations that we receive around the holidays and with our holiday gift distribution. Email Kate at ks@cfthinc.org if you are interested!
|
|
|
