Donors, volunteers, and staff pulled off enormous holiday feats in December. Financial donors’ contributions were significant. All funds raised between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve were doubled thanks to a generous matching challenge from our board of directors and anonymous donors.
These funds are especially important as they allow us to deliver high-quality care to children despite a worker shortage, inflation, and the many pandemic-related obstacles we confront.
Like last year, the pandemic made certain holiday traditions unsafe; however, our friends and donors stepped up in some amazing and creative ways to make sure the holidays were filled with joy.
Donors’ generosity allowed us to distribute presents to 446 children across the spectrum of Hephzibah programs.
“It was extra important to celebrate the good things this holiday season,” says Juliet Yera, director of Development. “We are so fortunate to have an incredibly generous community of supporters who embraced the spirit of the season and brought comfort and joy to hundreds of children and families.”
Dozens of organizations including Astellas Pharma, & then there was well, Claro Healthcare, Chicago Transit Authority, Craig/Stevens Development Corporation, Doody Enterprises, Eli Lilly, Elmwood Park Woman’s Club, Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club, Knights of Columbus, Kite Realty Group, Loyola Medical/MacNeal Hospital, Oak Leaf Academy, The Peninsula Chicago Hotel, SAP Concur, Standard Companies, Unity Church Oak Park, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SNAP Inc., and more, donated essential funds, toys, and other gifts, gift cards, clothing, and food to fulfill the children’s wish lists.
Hephzibah Home kids wait for the screen of Encanto at the Lake Theatre in December 2021. The Oak Park auxiliary organized a special screening for the kids.
The Hephzibah auxiliaries really stepped up this holiday season. The Chicago Auxiliary, Oak Park Auxiliary, and Western Auxiliary raised funds through their JustGiving Holiday Challenge campaigns. Additional funds raised by the Oak Park Auxiliary made it possible for our Hephzibah Home kids to enjoy a movie outing at the Lake Theater where they saw Disney’s Encanto. The Oak Park Auxiliary also did some holiday Angel shopping for the Hephzibah Day Care kids. The Hephzibah Western Auxiliary Juniors decorated the outside of Hephzibah Home.
The Carleton of Oak Park Hotel hosted a fancy Christmas party featuring Santa Claus for Hephzibah Home kids. The kids enjoyed dressing up in their holiday finery.
The Paramount Group, a long-time Hephzibah partner, took the lead to rally support for all children in our Intact Family Program and provided personalized presents and food for families struggling during the holiday season.
The first-grade class at Lincoln Elementary School in Oak Park held a pajama drive for Hephzibah foster families.
Luis Ortiz RE/MAX Partners donated toys and hand sanitizer for children in Hephzibah Home. When dropping off these gifts, they had Santa and the Grinch along for the visit. Everyone loved waving and cheering for these favorite holiday guests.
The Blue Saints LE/MC donated gift cards, toiletries, books, toys, and water bottles to the children living at Hephzibah. This awesome group spent a morning with our kids to talk all things motorcycles. Everyone had the opportunity to sit on a motorcycle as often and as long as they wanted, try on helmets, ask questions, and hear the engines rev!
After delivering Loyola Medicine/MacNeal Hospital’s gift, Berwyn Firefighters invited Hephzibah Home kids to check out their rig.
The Berwyn Fire Department delivered presents to Hephzibah Home, answered the kids’ questions about being firefighters, and let the kids sit in their rig.
La Parrillita Mexican Grill promoted the kids’ wish list by giving menu items to anyone who fulfilled a kid’s wish. They also donated Christmas desserts for the kids.
Whole Foods Market in River Forest, Harlem Irving Plaza, The Academy at Forest View, and Meetings + Events International each hosted giving trees in their spaces, generating many of the most desired toys on the holiday wish list.
Your Children’s Bookshelf donated more than 100 book totes for our foster families.
The Paramount Group and Claro Healthcare contributed delicious meals, making the Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day meals extra special for the children at Hephzibah Home.
Many individuals shared their holiday spirit with Hephzibah.
Mary DiSomma sold gourmet cupcakes at Daly Bagel in Oak Park with a portion of the proceeds going to Hephzibah. Mary continues to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her cookbook, A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family and Friends, to Hephzibah.
Santa visits Hephzibah Home kids from the doorway Christmas morning. “…The children held onto [Santa’s] arm and didn’t want to let go. They just held onto him as if touching him was a magical experience for them.”
“It was an emotional experience,” says Barb Krause. “When Gina [Harbor, DTC coordinator] opened the door, the children held onto Jimmy’s arm and didn’t want to let go. They just held onto him as if touching him was a magical experience for them. It was really hard not to give them each a hug and tell them everything was going to be OK. They were so excited to see us! What a truly amazing beginning to our Christmas morning.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming generosity and thoughtful spirit our donor partners and the community,” says Merry Beth Sheets, executive director. “This show of support for the children and families in our care truly made an important difference in their lives; and in another year like no other, it lit up the faces of so many children this holiday season.”
THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!