Western Cook County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America Donates House-to-Home Kits

In the first 15 months of our Open Door Housing program, 51 households moved into safe, stable permanent supportive housing. This was approximately 15 more households than we projected for this point in time when the program was launched. Although federal funding allows us to subsidize the client's rent and utilities, and purchase furniture, it does not allow for the purchase of household items such as bedding, kitchenware, etc. In order to provide these items, which turn a house into a home, we asked community groups to assemble House-to-Home Kits to be donated to each household when they moved in. The response has been staggering, and no client has had to move into an apartment without these basic items.

Several weeks ago, we received a large donation of House-to-Home Kits from the Western Cook County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, an organization of mothers who nurture future leaders by strengthening children ages 2-19 through chapter programming, community service, legislative advocacy and philanthropic giving. The group split themselves into categories by age, and each group took on a different room's items on the House-to-Home Kit list. All told, the group collected and donated nine full kits, ensuring that each client moving into housing in the immediate future will have the household items they need. We can't thank them, and everyone else who has collected these items in the last year, enough for their time, talents and treasure. 

If you, or a group you are a part of, is interested in organizing a House-to-Home Kit drive, please contact Attiyya at volunteer@westsuburbanpads.org or 708.338.1724, ext. 220.