Over 2,000 toys and items were donated for the Holiday Season
As the holiday season winds down it’s time to share the BIG news! IOLS donated 100′s (actually thousands!!!) of new toys and needed items donated from numerous corporate and community partners. It was our goal to make sure that the children and teens in the Illinois foster care System had a Christmas that they would never forget!
IOLS donated to 6 agencies, in which 509 children received items; 200 more than last year:
- over 719 toys
- 206 blankets (donated by Project Linus – McHenry County)
- 56 adults in PADs received food, hygiene items and clothing (in all, over 620 items)
- McCutcheon Elementary School received scarves, gloves and hats for 218 children and also much-needed books for classroom libraries and that is just the beginning!
Each child received, at minim, 2 toys from their Holiday wish lists and in most cases they received 3 toys each, 1 blanket and a hat/scarf and gloves. Some of the toys that were given: Clothes, Jackets w/ scarves, hats and gloves, boots, necklace sets, scooters, Thomas Train Sets, Barbie sets, MP3 players, digital cameras, Wii Games and 100′s of other toys.
One very special little girl received a special needs car seat that her Foster Parent had been trying to get for over two years. This mom had tried getting assistance with a donation for this special seat required for disabled children that normally costs $1500.00. We were pleased to find one suitable at a discounted rate and secured donations from the Illinois DME (http://www.infinitecdme.org/) and Mateo’s Kids (www.mateoskids.com).
Thank you to ALL of the corporate partners, the community organizations and all of our donors who made this possible and to the Toy Drive Committee and to so many others who helped us with this year’s toy drive!
THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
For further information on the Annual Toy Drive, please visit www.itsourlittlesecret.org and/or contact Kristie Sams-Faulkner at ksams@itsourlittlesecret.org.
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