Good Friday and Passover Aid for McHenry County Homeless

The un and under housed in McHenry County can count on help this Friday, April 15 which is also Good Friday and the first day of Passover at sundown.  The Community Power Shower event at Willow Crystal Lake, 100 South Main Street, will be open from 10 am to 2 pm.

Empower Shower is a collaborative community event providing homeless individuals access to a variety of resources. Warp Corps and Willow Creek will work together to provide transportation from Woodstock and surrounding towns for the events.  Regular pick-ups will be scheduled at the Woodstock Metro Station at 9:30 am and the Woodstock Wendy’s parking lot, 120 North Eastwood Drive.  Individuals who cannot meet at these locations and times can reach out to the Warp Corps team at 260 409-9811 to arrange pick up.

Community Empower Shower which provides wide ranging services for the homeless and those who are facing housing crisis, are held on the first and third Fridays of each month.

The Empowerment Shower is a collaborative effort of many organizations and agencies including the Crystal Lake Food Bank, Consumer Credit Counseling, Family Health Partnership Clinic, Home of the Sparrow, Live 4 LALI, McHenry County Housing Authority, Pioneer Center, Prairie State Legal Services, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul Society, Veterans Path to Hope, Willow Crystal Lake, and Warp Corps.

Homeless clients enjoy hard to access personal services like showers, haircuts, and use of laundry facilities at Community Empower Shower events.

Services offered at no cost include:

Showers

Haircuts

Laundry Facilities

Camping Supplies including Tents, Stoves, Sleeping Bags

Toiletries/Personal Care items

Clothing

Onsite Meal

Food

Transportation

Assistance obtaining IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards

Assistance with SSI/SSDI (Disability)

Assistance with Medical coverage, SNAP, TANF

Medical Access—Doctor care, Covid-19 vaccine

Debt Management Services/Advocacy

Shelter and Housing Referrals and Linkages

Domestic Violence support

Veteran’s Services

Substance Use/Harm Reduction Tools and Support

Mental Health, Spiritual, and Social Support Referrals

Compassion for Campers has restocked and will have all essential gear and supplies on hand this Friday.

Compassion for Campers, the organization that provides camping gear, supplies, cold weather gear, non-perishable food and personal hygiene items is on hand for every event.  After its shelves ran nearly bare on April 1 and some needs could not be met, generous public donations allowed it to restock and probably have enough to do the same for next distribution on May 6. But continued support is urgently needed as we move into the warmer Spring and Summer months when many more are camping or living out of cars.  Donations can be made to Tree of Life UU Congregation by check with Compassion for Campers on the memo line or online at https://treeoflifeuu.breezechms.com/give/online noting the designation of the donation.  All donations are placed in a dedicated fund that cannot be used for any other purpose and Tree of Life provides all administrative costs at no charge so that all funds go directly to aiding the homeless.

For more information contact Tree of Life Social Justice Chair and Compassion for Campers coordinator Patrick Murfin at pmurfin@sbcglobal.net  or call 815 814-5645.

 

Consider Compassion for Campers for Giving Tuesday

I know your are probably inundated with worthy Giving Tuesday begging.  But nowhere can your donation of any size have greater immediate impact than sharing with Compassion for Campers which serves the McHenry County unhoused who will spend all or part of each month this winter camping out or living in a vehicle.  Your dollars almost immediately be used to buy the critical gear—tents, sleeping bags, pads, tarps, stoves, fuel, warm gloves, hats, and socks—as well as personal hygiene items, flashlights and batteries, and non-perishable food.  Give today and a homeless person can pick them up at Community Empower Shower events at Willow Crystal Lake the first and third Fridays of the month.  Not only that, but 100% of your donation will go directly to those in need.  Funds are deposited in a dedicated fund of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry, Illinois that cannot be used for any other purpose.  In addition, the church donates all administrative expenses.  Of course, donations are tax deductible.

You can donate on the congregation’s Giving Tuesday app making sure to designate the Compassion for Campers fund in the drop down menu.  You can also simply send a check to Tree of Life, 6603 Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050.