Featured Volunteers

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• 2021 Recipients
  
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From the organization’s beginning, any proceeds from fundraisers or donations have gone to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or Feeding America to help people with limited resources or children with critical illnesses. Since being a part of the group, they have raised over $10,000 for those organizations with about $4,000 raised from their Covid-19 Relief Project for Feeding America. They released weekly videos and helped provide meals for communities who needed help with obtaining food during the pandemic. Additionally, a main goal of the group has always been to promote cultural awareness and diversity through appreciation of the Chinese arts and music. With the performances being a mixture of both Chinese and American music pieces, we are able to cultivate interest in their group and culture, as a result.

Maxwell was proud of being part of the Chinese community and the identity that it brought with it. Cultural diversity and awareness are some of the reasons he joined the Sound of Wishes. His volunteer service has been able to impact the community by not only broadening the knowledge of their culture, but their community as well. Namely, we perform at many events dedicated to Asian American communities through the Coalition for Better Asian American Community, such as at the CBCAC Asian American Census and the ‘Belonging in Chinatown’ event to empower these communities living in Chicago. At one event dedicated to announce the passing of the TEAACH Act, requiring Illinois school curriculums to include Asian American History, Sound of Wishes performed and met with local officials like Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton to talk about the group and what can be done to further Asian American acceptance in the community through music.

Creating opportunities for others like she had been given directly resulted in the creation of Mission:MathMinds. She has created something out of others’ needs, not her own. She has combined her two passions - math and volunteering - into something with the capacity to bring others alongside her in service. These lifelong passions of hers didn’t spark the action to create Mission:MathMinds; rather, it was observations made and accounts from her peers about learning during the COVID-19 pandemic that inspired all the work that has followed. Ruby’s friends and peers were affected firsthand by the pandemic. As mathematics is a subject that builds on top of itself, it is vital for previous topics to be understood to advance further in the curriculum. Without the normal opportunities to collaborate with their teacher and classmates together, it became more difficult for her friends when they were “stuck” on a concept or procedure.

Ruby was able to help her friends over Zoom as they worked on assignments together for hours. It was here where the model for mentoring, using Zoom to connect girls of different ages and experiences, was first formed. After talking with her parents, she realized that this was most likely a need not just for her friends, but for many female students in her town, district,state - and possibly the nation. This need for connection, when the connection was stripped from us, can persevere outside of a global pandemic. The technology we have to connect with one another at the push of a button can be used to connect female students in different states, and all across the United States. This is an idea that can last and flourish regardless of environment, economic status, and world crises.

Gary enjoys what he does, and says he would do it again, especially being able to help the families of veterans. Gary has been at every function, training, orientation, and activity the AmeriCorps Program for the City of Springfield has made available. Next year he will be taking on a larger role in AmeriCorps as a full-time member and well deserves the recognition as an AmeriCorps Member who is making a difference in the City of Springfield. The biggest motivation for Gary is the education award that is available, which he plans to use for his grandson to help with college bills.

He helped by incorporating community leaders, veterans and local community members to get involved in projects. He also worked in the Little Village Community via community gardens in order to beautify the community and help local organizations engage in outdoor programming. Rogelio is a dedicated volunteer who has sacrificed sleep and his free time on the weekends while juggling family commitments and his full time job.

Elizabeth, several of her friends, and sometimes her mom, Julie, spent around five hours each day for four weeks selecting, cutting and tying fabric to make 180 blankets, one for each veteran at the Manteno home. She collected more than 180 donations, ending up with a surplus of funds and plenty of blanket scraps, which she plans to turn around into gifted neck pillows and handmade wreaths for the 87 residents at the LaSalle Veterans Home.

“They just did so much for us,” Barth said. “They were willing to give their life for us and for our safety. I wanted to make them smile and make them feel appreciated.”

In 2010 while in her scout troop meeting, Kennedi was given an assignment that required each troop member to go through their closets and fill up a bag with items that they had not worn in a year. All of the members did what was asked and came to the next meeting with their bags full of stuff. After sorting the donations, the members were allowed to "shop" the tables and take the items that they wanted for no cost and leftover items were donated to a local shelter for women and children. Thus, it was at Kennedi's scout meeting that the project "Swap and Share" was born

Since Swap and Share’s inception in 2013 more than 900 community members have been served, 287 volunteers have served the community, thousands of donated items have been collected, more than 18,000 pounds of clothing, shoes and textiles have been recycled and re-used, 6 shelters have been serviced, and 1,865 volunteers hours have been logged. Kennedi has also received three grants to support her project.

Kennedi's service has demonstrated that you are never too young to make a difference in your community. At a young age, Kennedi learned the very important lesson of the necessity of having wise and resourceful mentors in her life. She cherishes the mentors that she has and pays it forward by mentoring younger students at her school, church and within other organizations. A challenge that Kennedi has experienced is dealing with the negative stigma that many people attach to second-hand items. To overcome this challenge, Kennedi had to educate and raise awareness of what it means to be environmentally responsible as consumers. She worked with the We Organization, participated in WeDay, and partnered with Savers to learn more about sustainability and educate other volunteers and community members.

When not conserving nature, Terry dedicates time to youth outreach in his community as a 4H robotics team leader- their most recent accomplishment was the building of a “farmbot”, currently on display at Mattoon’s Cross Country Mall. Rounding out his compassion for others, Terry is an active volunteer in Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center’s “Plant a Row for the Hungry” garden program.

“Where there is a wheelbarrow, there is a way”, and Terry’s community-minded spirit, love of people, and “handy man skills” makes him an excellent organizer and leader in volunteer efforts.

Grace used her track and cross country platform to touch the lives of athletes all over the tristate area. She would take her message to meets and make contact with other athletes in order to instill in them to #BeLikeGrace. Grace used all forms of social media to create kindness in real time. She would post and encourage those as well as reach out to those in need or troubled. She made sure to take time to pack extra snacks, work with those with disabilities, and focus on the needs of others even if that meant her needs came 2nd or even 3rd.

Graces impact has now gone across the world. The message #belikegrace has been in 4 separate countries supported by Olympic runner Genevieve Lacruze and Grace has received state recognition by Senator Jill Tracy and Senator Dick Durbin. Grace has taught others that the quality you put out into the world truly means something and your life can impact others if you are just willing to try. Additionally, Grace’s life is memorialized through the #BeLikeGrace Scholarship which is awarded yearly to a high school senior who exemplifies the following pillars: faith, kindness, generosity, compassion, positivity, and striving to be the best version of yourself.

Upon her joining House of Neighborly Service, Toni began coordinating the emergency food pantry. She inventoried and coordinated with local food drives at schools, scouts and churches. She shortly afterward began bi-weekly trips to a local Pizza Hut and gathered, packaged and froze pizza weekly to provide for those in need and give them an extra treat. She then developed a relationship with a St. Louis Panera Bread Company and gathered their day old bread and pastry items on a weekly basis. She also packaged and froze those items as well. All of this was then distributed weekly to families in need, a weekly delivery to the seniors in the low income apartments in two towns in our county, and she developed relationships with local butcher shops to gather their meat contributions and she was sure to shop with them as well.

During the pandemic, Toni packaged numerous "COVID bags" of food and hygiene items as families were struggling greatly. The organization offered a cooking class prior to the pandemic and she made sure food items were available to those attending along with groceries to take home. The cooking class focused on serving those families who depended upon food pantries and needed way to provide nutritious, delicious and budget stretching menus. For the second summer, she has worked on feeding our families through our summer lunch program which has not been easy as the pandemic affected the ability to get plentiful food items and budget friendly items. This summer she is in full control of this program and is feeding 125 plus families each week with meat, vegetables, produce, dairy and other items needed. She is coordinating all of this simultaneously, without losing energy, with no complaints.

Ryan also volunteered with The Whiteside Garden in Charleston, a five-acre garden with many rare plants. Ryan helped weed the bog garden for several hours over the summer. His work helped make sure the delicate plants in the bog garden were able to grow and thrive. Ryan also volunteers with the Charleston Community Band to put on outdoor concerts as a band member. These concerts are well-attended and much appreciated by the Charleston Community (and a much-needed community boost).

During the pandemic, like other areas in the state of Illinois, the east-central Illinois area desperately needed personal protective equipment. Ryan used his own 3D printer and the skills he learned from the UIUC 3D maker lab to make 3D-printed face shields and donated them to both the local community and to Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign County. These face shields were able to provide an additional layer of protection against COVID. Over the course of many months, Ryan donated 100+ face shields to Carle Hospital, 20+ face shields to Sarah Bush Health Center in Coles County, and many more to Eastern Illinois University, friends and neighbors, and his own high school. His donations have been crucial in protecting the community.

All of GECRC's students meet low income and academic risk guidelines and most come from refugee or immigrant families. Annually, the program serves nearly 200 students. Nate demonstrated best practices by insuring the students' safety and keeping them engaged in the classroom. A great majority of GECRC's students come from minority backgrounds, and Nate's cultural sensitivity helped create a comfortable environment for the kids.

Nate makes sure to entertain and join the students in activities they are passionate about, such as activities including sports and gymnastics. Nate also helped the students prepare presentations about community heroes. He is very much set on providing his best efforts for the sake of the students and the organization. Nate is always willing to step up to challenges and help deescalate difficult situations.

Nate's name is often mentioned in high praises among GECRC's staff. He displays a positive, kind, and fun attitude and makes sure that energy is present wherever he goes. He has a way of getting the students excited about the work they are doing and makes sure they are happy to be there.

For sixteen years, George used his time and talents and volunteered in various ways to support seniors; whether it was to help raise funds, assist seniors with their financial matters, or to deliver a meal to a homebound resident. His leadership and creativity are evident in leading current events group, which filled to capacity, on a weekly basis for fourteen years. Many of Catholic Charities clients come from different backgrounds.

George has had a great impact on the senior community. He also served on the Arlington Heights Senior Center Inc. board, which is the fund-raising body for the Arlington Heights Senior Center. Through his volunteer efforts, the Arlington Heights Senior Center Inc. board has raised thousands of dollars to donate to the Senior Center for senior residents to benefit and enjoy. The Arlington Heights Senior Center houses eight separate agencies. One of these agencies is the Nurses Club Lending Closet. The Lending Closet loans out durable medical equipment to residents in our community. The Arlington Heights Senior Center Inc. board, through their fundraising efforts, is able to purchase medical equipment for our Lending Closet upon request.

George has received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteering over 4,000 hours to one organization, and has served a total of 6500 hours. George exemplifies what it means to give back to your community, and his compassion has certainly made an impact on the lives of others in his community.

Jillian’s leadership in this program has significantly improved volunteer engagement and retention and the quality and quantity of data collected. This data helps inform natural resource management across the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County and education programming at Severson Dells Nature Center.

In June and July, Jillian went above and beyond in the wake of the Chemtool Fire in Rockton, IL. She attended a public information session the week after the fire and saw firsthand just how uniformed the public was and how much misinformation was out there. The following day she asked if she could take on the huge project of translating the large quantities of environmental data being released by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. In the weeks that followed she translated hundreds of pages of data into two blogs.

This work was noticed by the Illinois Association of News Broadcasters who invited her to speak at their annual conference in Rockford. After that experience she created a document to help reporters navigate the wide range of local, state, federal and nonprofit agencies and the data and information they have.

During the pandemic, SaLT was unable to provide service-learning trips to students. In May of 2020, SaLT was inspired to pivot their efforts to serve the local community, and Shop N’ Drop was created in the areas of Highwood and Highland Park, IL. Shop N’ Drop is designed to engage community members to support local families facing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jagger soon became the strongest youth force making this project a reality.

Jagger’s role as a dual language speaker has been to contact all 100+ families that they serve each week! With adult support, Jagger check-ins with every family to makes sure they needs are being met and to see if there is anything special they might need that week (i.e diapers, cleaning supplies, certain foods, etc.) She even translates important information regularly regarding vaccines, job searches, or rent concerns. As a student leader for SaLT, Jagger has given hundreds of hours to Shop N’ Drop, but after understanding some of the greater needs of our families’ children, she also took on two other special projects - Love2Learn and DreamBIG.

Love2Learn provides free, weekly, one-hour, one-on-one, in-person math/reading tutoring by high school students for K-5 children. DreamBIG provides free, weekly, one hour, one-on-one/small group, in-person coaching sessions by high school students for K-6 children. Jagger provides each family with a trusted and compassionate translator and friend. Her commitment has been amazing as she did not miss a beat each week calling and connecting with 100+ families since May 2020. Throughout some of our families’ darkest days, she has been a source of light and hope.

Jagger has she also has taken every opportunity to join other service events. Jagger was an amazingly strong participant in the service-learning trips to Orlando. She provided care and comfort to terminally ill children at Give Kids the World. Jagger also went to New Orleans to work with local nonprofits to help restore and learn about this city’s unique communities and culture. Jagger is motivated daily to make a difference for others. She sincerely identifies her work in service as her life’s purpose. She is truly a LIGHT for those she works wit and so many others in her community.

Jeanne Vance has been a volunteer for AmeriCorps Seniors for four years. Jeanne has been a valuable volunteer and works at a school developed by her daughter, Wanikka Vance, called the Foundation 4 Advancement. Foundation 4 Advancement is a private school that strives to develop a child to his/her full potential! Jeanne provides the children a nurturing environment and engages the children to work hard to believe in themselves. Jeanne works daily as a volunteer not only helping with the curriculum, but also with work assignments for the children. She also assists the children one on one with tablet training. Jeanne is always pitching in to help by assisting with lunch, sanitizing the stations, and keeping the facility clean.

Marilyn took a deep breath and decided that a lockdown would not get in the way of connecting with the home’s residents, most of whom were now close friends. It was only a matter of getting creative. "I was missing all my friends and visits since in a normal month I would have visited, at that time, in nine units—some every week—and others twice a month,” she said. “The one I was missing most was the ‘Coffee and Chat’ group every Thursday morning.” Marilyn knew there was more than one way to connect. To keep the residents engaged, she re-designed her “Chat with Marilyn” program from in-person to weekly emails, which she sent to the activities director who, in turn distributed them to the Coffee and Chat participants now confined to their rooms.

Her audience has expanded to several residents she has yet to meet. Now they can’t wait to connect with her face to face. Those whom she knows from the “in-person” days have said they can hear her voice when they read her newsletters. Now, Marilyn’s weekly chat pages have extended beyond the walls of the Lutheran Home. She shared them with relatives and friends, who, in turn sent them to their friends. As it turns out, she has made new friends living in other senior facilities out of state.

Marilyn hopes that by Christmas 2021, everyone’s life will have returned to normal, so she can resume her favorite volunteer project which was sadly missed last year—becoming Mrs. Santa Claus for all the unit parties.

Through the program, Stefan does an incredible job building connections between both volunteers and community members, and he creates an encouraging space for everyone to build empathy by sharing their perspectives and lived experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stefan even innovated with Chicago Cares to provide the program virtually! In doing this, he helped volunteers maintain a space where they could safely connect while physically social distancing. Stefan is an exemplary volunteer with Chicago Cares, and they are so grateful for his continued service!

Aparna has changed the face of mental health through her efforts and created a community where students are empowered. Her volunteerism, persistence, and kindness make her a perfect candidate for volunteer of the week. She plans to continue her nonprofit and legislative efforts throughout her life, hoping that nobody will have to endure the same challenges she did.

Grandpa Ron cannot make it through Walmart without having one of his past students stop him to say hello. Grandpa Ron is loved by the entire staff at Franklin and goes above and beyond to spread sunshine with his co-volunteers and volunteer site.

After volunteering as a friendly visitor, Stan was bit by the volunteer bug and hasn’t stopped ever since. Stan enrolled as an AmeriCorps Seniors member (previously volunteering with AmeriCorps RSVP) and has taken on a variety of assignments. Stan has worked with Catholic Charities as a Meals on Wheels delivery volunteer, drives seniors to necessary medical appointments, and when asked, also picked up food and other essential items during the COVID-19 shelter in place order. Stan also finds time during the holidays to deliver meals and gifts to local seniors. To date, Stan has recorded almost 700 hours as an AmeriCorps member.

Since then, Mrs. Patel has been spending 2-3 hours in the morning, 3 days per week, working with students in small groups. She plays games, supports children with assignments, reads books aloud, and listens to students from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade read aloud to her. Children appreciate her gentle and nurturing manner and for many, she has become a surrogate grandmother!

They say that it takes a village to raise a child, and Westview School is so appreciative to have Mrs. Patel as a positive, contributing member of their school community!

Last year he asked to work with the students. He listens attentively and interacts with students in a sincere way. The students absolutely love reading with him. Not only does he listen to students read, but he also has lunch once a week with a small group of 3rd graders. They assist him with getting his tray, walk to a quiet room, and they engage in meaningful conversations. He lets them share parts of their lives and tries to guide them with practical ways to deal with peer pressure and social situations. He genuinely cares about their well-being and goes out of his way to connect with all students. He also spends one afternoon a week in the classroom assisting with writing and math. He moves about and helps in whatever way he can.

Since the schools shut down during the pandemic, Chris graciously provided his email so that students could still check in with him. Some of the students are sending audio recordings of them reading to him. When he was sent one of these recordings, he responded with, “I could only listen for a few seconds and had to stop the recording because tears were flowing.” He eventually was able to listen to the whole recording.

The Le Roy Elementary building is a pre k-6 elementary school in central Illinois. They have several students with autism, mental and physical challenges, and health compromised students. They are an inclusive school and their students are compassionate and interact with all students. Seeing their students assist Mr. Brown is the essence of the human spirit and goodness that they hope would be the standard everywhere in the world.

As the mother of a child with cerebral palsy and a former Board member, Annette is an incredible ambassador for Easterseals. By sharing her personal experience and commitment, she inspires contributions that make a transformative impact on the organization. Annette also connects parent-to-parent and helps maintain a library of resources for families who are new to Easterseals. She helps parents, siblings and caregivers of children with disabilities find a community of support. She is thorough, dependable and uncompromising when it comes to the quality of her work and her dedication. Annette has logged more hours than any other volunteer within the organization, and is an integral part of the support system that helps build healthy families and empowers children to reach their goals.

On top of all her other duties, Lisa has also been a huge help in redoing the park benches at another one of their properties, the Friendship Garden. The Friendship Garden is a small plot of land inspired by the English Tea Gardens that the Founder, Hellen Douglas-Hart, loved in her travels. Families can come to go on picnics, do photography, have weddings, go on walks, or attend some of the events hosted at the property. Thanks to Lisa’s help and attention to quality and detail, families will have a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the gorgeous plants, trees, and atmosphere that the Friendship Garden has to offer for many years to come. The Douglas-Hart Foundation is so grateful for everything that Lisa has done. She has helped staff so much and impacted families in the community greatly.

In January 2021, a team was formed to assist with heavy lifting and moving needs for the organization, and Ed has been there every step of the way since its creation. For such a new team, it is incredible to have his enthusiastic support and willingness to help whenever he is called upon. Ed’s work with Housing Forward varies depending upon their needs. For example, he often helps with moving heavy furniture from the basement to the attic and helps move boxes from one office to another. Whatever the job, he is always quick to respond and more than willing to help. Ed is a main part of the reason why this team has been so successful and Housing Forward can’t thank him enough for the service and dedication he has provided to both the organization and their community.

For more than three decades, Jo has selflessly sought to make a difference in the lives of Aurora area residents, especially immigrants and children, through the Adult Literacy program at Waubonsee Community College. She first started as a volunteer and then later became a program manager. Through her leadership, 1,000 adults and children learn the English language each year. Jo also chaired the Aurora Township Youth Commission for 20 years and was named Chairman Emeritus by the Aurora Township Board of Trustees in January 2017.

She has been equally committed to the research and preservation of local history. She served 16 years as Chairman of the City of Aurora’s Grand Army of the Republic Commission, volunteered at the Aurora Historical Society, and has published texts on the unique history of communities such as Aurora, Naperville, DeKalb, Geneva and Montgomery.

Prior to his volunteering with JHA, Michael regularly interviewed prisoners as part of lawsuits brought by the Uptown People’s Law Center. Building on that, he began volunteering with JHA three years ago, and since that time has continued to demonstrate a significant commitment to the people incarcerated across Illinois. His unique, holistic approach to writing letters and responses to prisoners involves going to great lengths to understand not only what the letter-writer is asking for, but also to pinpoint information that could make the difference for each individual.

In reading the letters, and visiting the facilities Michael has become passionate about prisoner access to legal information. Prior to the pandemic, Michael regularly participated in monitoring visits to state prisons, and during a visit would independently investigate the quality of each prison law library, interview staff and prisoners to identify the available resources and ways in which unmet needs impact people reliant on the library to further their cases.

Michael is a lifelong Chicagoan and a graduate of Loyola University and the University of Chicago Law School. His 40-year legal career included litigating cases in trial and appellate courts throughout the United States as well as serving as a senior officer in a major insurance company. Michael has also been an active volunteer with Interfaith Action Evanston soup kitchens and overnight shelters. Michael and his wife, Lisa, are also active members of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation of Evanston, most recently organizing the synagogue’s participation in the “Walk for Warmth” fundraiser for Evanston’s Emergency Overnight Shelter. Michael is a student at Northwestern University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute where he’s leads classes on World War II and the American Civil War.

Saretha is the first to show up and the last to leave, bringing her radio with her every day to make sure that she and others are dancing and boosting energy while serving. Many employees at the Café have stated that Saretha is a joy to have in the kitchen and that her happy spirit makes the days go by quicker. Saretha loves serving for AmeriCorps because she loves to serve and doing so makes her happy.

Despite the often difficult situations volunteers find themselves in when devoting help in these tense areas, Hillary always maintains a bright, friendly and funny personality and this helps attendant staff just as well. Hillary is also a Foster Program volunteer and joined the COVID-19 Emergency Response Volunteer team. It is no surprise she is doing just as well as in these brave endeavors as well.

Currently, Stuffed Love’s biggest project is working with Conquering CHD, a national organization dedicated to support and advocacy for individuals and families affected by congenital heart defects. The hand-stitched heart pillows are distributed to 14 states in their Conquering CHD Kits and are used to prop up IVs, provide comfort after heart surgery, and as a treasured memento for the difficult times the family has survived. In addition to Stuffed Love, Sarah continues to volunteer in her community through organizations like the White Sox Volunteer Corps and Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership program (HOBY). Her most important mission is to continue sharing that little bit of hope as a volunteer, community member, and aspiring physician. Sarah was also recently the winner of the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues Unsung Heroine Award.

Kurt usually helps the youth with Math and Science. He says, “Math was always particularly difficult for me in school, and I went to college ill prepared for the math requirements of my chemistry major.” He took remedial math in college and goes on to say that “because it was so difficult, I can often understand where our students have problems… the same places I did.” The 1 to 1 interaction with students is what Kurt finds most rewarding especially when “they suddenly understand something they didn’t before.” Every day after working with the kids, Kurt says, “I feel a little younger than when I walked in!”

Kurt’s humility and humor define him. He is patient and passionate about tutoring the youth and guiding them toward a better future. Kurt is also a CASA volunteer and serves as an ELL tutor mentoring a young man from Venezuela who recently immigrated to the U.S. Kurt’s gifts are our treasures. LVI is grateful for all his hard work, and we are fortunate to have Kurt on our team!

When COVID-19 shut many pantries down and kept many of the regular volunteers at home due to being higher risk, Jessie stepped up and helped recruit and train new volunteers, along with continuing to ensure that everyone was working in a safe environment. She championed a new process allowing clients to stay in their cars while required registration information was taken and she worked tirelessly to make sure that those in need of food assistance still continued to receive the much needed food. She has juggled hours to her own work schedule as a hair stylist and part-time nanny to be able to pick up food every week and be at the twice weekly distributions. Her organizational strengths have proved invaluable in keeping the pantry operations running smoothly, even in the face of ever-changing pandemic challenges.

Jessie has always had a passion for helping those in need. At the Share Food Share Love Food Pantry, she puts the safety of both volunteers and clients at the forefront of everything she does. She is looking forward to the day when clients again can be invited back inside to choose their own food. Until then, she will continue to pack the bags with the food that she hopes everyone will use to keep themselves well fed and healthy.

Herman’s presence has had a positive impact on the children at his site, especially with the boys he tutors and mentors, acting as a strong black role model for them. He helps the children set educational goals, work through conflict resolution, and also coaches the boys and girls basketball teams at the school and the students who participate in the Special Olympics. Herman sacrifices his time on the weekend to attend games and other recreational activities with the students and staff as well. Herman also makes time to talk to students about important life choices and shares his own experiences on growing up in Chicago’s south side. Not only is he loved and respected by the students, but the teachers and community also love and appreciate his energy and dedication to the school.

Period poverty refers to an individual’s inability to afford or access feminine hygiene products, and it is a prominent, yet highly under recognized problem around the world. Research has shown that 1 in every 5 menstruators in the United States suffers from this problem, even though it arises from a natural biological process. Those suffering from period poverty can miss critical periods of school, acquire permanent health issues, and even die from their inability to acquire feminine hygiene products. Shriya recognized that this problem was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with higher populations of homeless individuals in Chicago and decided to take action by founding PERIOD @ Hinsdale.

In merely 6 months, Shriya raised over $1,550 and donated over 3,500 feminine hygiene products to those in need. She has communicated with and donated to several shelters to help homeless women and victims of domestic abuse in their monthly struggles with period poverty. Recently, she even organized a no-contact toiletry drive to collect over 600 toiletry items to donate to shelters during the holiday season. Overall, Shriya has shown a deep sense of commitment and passion to help those in need, even during this time of crisis with COVID-19. Shriya always puts others before herself and deserves to be recognized for her passion, irreplaceable leadership qualities, and dedication to give back to her own community.

Dr. Sherrod is also the youth leadership program facilitator for a local organization with over 100 high school members. This program is designed to develop young leaders throughout the county to provide leadership opportunities of service to their communities. The program is 100% student-led in all aspects and is so popular that there is a waitlist to get in. In her spare time, Dr. Sherrod works with high school students interested in joining the military to prepare for and pass the ASVAB test. Dr. Sherrod gives much of her time to helping others become a better version of themselves and to have opportunities to better their lives. Even with caring for two children of her own and working a full-time job in education, Dr. Sherrod gives her personal time to be a part of the lives of the youth in her community on a daily basis.

Roblyn volunteers in the Seasoned Circle Café located in East St. Louis, Illinois and provides a variety of services to enhance the senior program. The Café serves as a center for senior citizens to join in fellowship, build friendships, and enjoy recreational activities and hot meals. At the Café, Roblyn helps to assist with implementing activities that are engaging to senior citizens, serves meals, greets the senior citizens and their guests, and also helps keeps the Café clean and free of debris. The senior citizens at the Café all described Roblyn as kind, friendly, and lively. A few of the citizens have went on to say that Roblyn is the perfect host for Bingo because makes the game more fun and friendly.

During her previous years of service, Roblyn has provided outstanding assistance to the East Saint Louis School District’s After School 21st Century Program, LBDNH Day Care Center, and the agency’s Providing a Sure Start Program (PASS). Roblyn has also been an active participant in LBDNH’s yearly Back to School Program. Roblyn can be seen sitting and talking with the senior citizens and often engages in games and recreational activities.

Roblyn serves faithfully in her church and is an integral part of The Purpose Church in Madison, Illinois. Roblyn states that she loves being at the Seasoned Circle Café and volunteering at the Café has had a huge impact on her commitment to serving others. She plans to channel her love for service by achieving her lifetime goal of becoming a nurse.

Lou Stanke has dedicated well over 1400 hours to volunteering at the Douglas-Hart Foundation. He holds the standing for the most volunteer hours given out of any current volunteer at the Nature Center. Those hours have consisted of conservation work, special projects that have created helpful additions to the Nature Center (including a beautiful trellises for their butterfly garden, re-staining all of the Nature Center signs, and creating new signs for two of the foundation’s properties), countless festivals, special events (such as large volunteering fieldtrips for middle schoolers), and weekend hosting at least twice a month.

Weekend hosting is a crucial role that only certain volunteers can do. The Nature Center is open every day (aside from Sundays in the winter), but staff is normally only there Monday through Friday. Weekend hosts are key volunteers that give up part of their weekend so the Nature Center can be open to the community and looked after. Lou has allowed countless families to have access to the Nature Center, and the facilities and exhibits inside.

Lou is always known to be counted on when the foundation need a hand, even if it is on short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. He has been such a help to staff and the community, and the Nature Center could never thank him enough for all the help that he has given to them over the years.

In 2001 while working as an Orthopedic Surgery Resident in Delhi, India, one of the most devastating earthquakes hit western India. In addition to killing more than 20,000 people and injuring over 150,000, the quake left hundreds of thousands homeless. Dr. Sapra quickly organized a rescue medical team. He set up a mobile clinic and operation theater to treat patients who had suffered multiple musculoskeletal injuries and provided them constant care for weeks.

In 1995, following the Global Polio Eradication Initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), India launched Pulse Polio immunization. Dr. Sapra was an active volunteer of the program, carrying out additional rounds of immunization for rapidly enhancing herd immunity against the deadly virus. He faced innumerable instances where he had to walk miles into India's remote villages without transportation. He worked with the program from 1997-2010 before he moved to the U.S. Due to the heroic efforts of healthcare workers like him, India was declared Polio free in 2011.

As a health care worker, Dr. Sapra recognizes that his primary obligation is to provide urgent medical care during disasters. Today amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sapra has tested hundreds of people with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 and continues to provide care for hospitalized patients at Memorial Medical Center and at SIU’s outpatient clinic. Dr. Sapra also plays a vital role in supporting current state efforts to stop the spread of the virus. He actively engages with and empowers everyday Illinoisans across the state to assist in COVID-19 outreach and prevention efforts. Naturally, he has been designated as the Illinois COVID-19 Prevention Ambassador by the Illinois government.

The process begins with the collecting of the books, which is facilitated through book drives at local schools and libraries. The books are then sorted and allocated for donation based on age, reading level, theme, and condition. Finally, Rohan works with Elijah and Namish to coordinate donations to those in need across Illinois. My Book Wish has thus far donated nearly 4,000 books to schools, orphanages, and other nonprofit organizations for further distribution. Rohan has even coordinated a donation with Action in Africa to send books to Uganda! Regardless of where the donations go, the objective remains the same: spreading the joy of reading.

Pat always volunteers her time in numerous capacities – such as her role in local rotary organization support and by acting as a mentor to others. Her contributions have made a powerful and lasting impression on all. She is a quintessential ambassador for her community and a positive role model for all. Her personal commitment to the morale of others is insurmountable and proven by her volunteering countless hours over the past five years. She also regularly provides support to the underprivileged. She has proven time and time again that she will donate her free time in order to help others. Her unconditional and continuous community service and volunteerism reflects her unselfish devotion to others and is in keeping with the highest traditions of service.

Vicki also served over 20 hours to advise, advocate, and promote Project HELP. The monetary value of the hours she served alone is over $3,300. As a result of her service, Project HELP served 67 families (257 individuals) in the parent mentor program and 1,000 parents and caregivers through educational workshops in 2019. During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Vicki developed an idea to call the community to spread resources individually through wellness calls. As of today the program has completed over 165 calls to the community, connecting families with critical resources while also raising funds to send directly to families in crisis.

Samantha Feinberg is the co-founder of this organization. She is a 16 year old from Deerfield, IL and has provided over 850 students with boxes all over the state of Illinois. Through this effort, she has learned how to get strategic partnerships to further the reach of her organization and has already secured 75 of them! She has raised $28,000 and helped train 50 students to volunteer with the organization so they can give back to their communities as well. She has done this all during a global pandemic and has already achieved so much in just four short months.

Pete’s prioritizing efforts keep volunteers focused with a sense of purpose. Inside the museum – entrances painted, new displays mounted, building repairs made and handouts created. Outside – aircraft cleaned, buffed and polished, tires replaced, rust removed and new coats of paint applied. He also led the reorganization of the museum’s offsite hanger where larger restoration projects take place, allowing for increased storage when space is a premium. One of his biggest efforts was in the cockpit restoration of a T-33 Shooting Star along with work on the canopy and viewing stands. While the hard work in preserving this aircraft continues, this effort adds one more aircraft visitors can climb into and get the pilot’s point of view.

It is simple; Pete Troesch’s volunteer efforts with the Museum’s aircraft and exhibits keep visitors coming back. Word gets out quickly when a normally closed-up aircraft is now open for viewing or best yet, when visitors can climb into the cockpit and “strap on a jet.” Engine displays, rotating beacons, repair of ground power units, added computer displays, and the layout of the airpark keep Pete busy. He is the first to admit that he did not do all these things, but he is the organizing influence, welcoming personality, and “There I Was” storyteller that recruits and retains fellow volunteers. Pete’s efforts not only produce new incentives for people to visit, but do so in a safe and secure manner for visitors of all ages.

Ramsin is a co-founder and current Executive Board member of Vote Assyrian, a community civic engagement organization that strives to inspire and empower Assyrian-Americans to build a better future for themselves and their community through civic engagement. In that volunteer role, Ramsin was able to successfully obtain over $110,000 dollars in grant money for the organization to get Assyrian households counted in Illinois for the 2020 Census. Over the five year span of Vote Assyrian, Ramsin and his organization have successfully managed to register tens of thousands of new voters, over 5,000 of which came before the primary election in 2018. These new voters are often immigrants who are coming from countries where voting is prohibited as well, so being able to help them exercise their right to vote is truly a powerful act of service.

At the Food Bank, she helps distribute groceries twice a week via My Pantry Express (MPX), a pilot online food pantry program – something she finds immensely fulfilling, especially during such an uncertain time. “[The pandemic] is affecting so many people in so many different ways,” she says. “So many people – their jobs have been furloughed, they’re laid off, or they work hourly and their hours are reduced. They need help with groceries even more because they have less income now.” That need is what keeps her coming back.

“We’ve had people tell us, ‘I wouldn’t have been able to make dinner tonight without these groceries,'” Tammy shares. “And it just makes you want to help more.” Tammy still feels comfortable volunteering during the COVID-19 outbreak because of precautions the Food Bank has put into place, such as following social distancing guidelines, using gloves, and streamlining operations processes to reduce the number of people who come into contact with shared items.“ If you take the proper precautions – social distancing, washing your hands, using hand sanitizer – you can [volunteer] in a safe way while still helping neighbors who desperately need our help. I don’t want people to be afraid to volunteer.”

In times of crisis, volunteers like Tammy make all the difference in the ability to make sure no one goes hungry in Northern Illinois. Learn more about how Northern Illinois Food Bank is responding to the coronavirus pandemic and how you can help here.

Roxy makes Thanksgiving at Sophia's Kitchen very special with her delicious cranberry salad. She whips up enough to feed 500 people who come for a home cooked turkey dinner on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Usually, Sophia's Kitchen hosts this feast as a plated meal for their guests. Students travel over an hour from Pontiac to graciously serve as wait staff. Tables are decked out with tablecloths and decorations to add to the festivities as well. With COVID-19 restrictions however, this year the feast will be served as a carry out meal, and of course, Roxy's cranberry salad will complete it!

Roxy's giving heart is a major asset for Sophia's Kitchen, where they feed 200 to 500 people each weekday in one of the poorest zip codes in the U.S. Those who come to eat know they will be treated with dignity that starts with a meal made not just to fill a stomach, but to show they deserve good things too. Roxy is a fierce leader in spreading kindness and demanding respect for everyone. No matter what she is doing, it is certain that Roxy always acts as an advocate for those in need. Her work has led to many canned food drives, which are much needed as Sophia’s Kitchen has pledged to fill 1,000 Christmas baskets this upcoming holiday season. For information on how you can help, please visit www.CatholicPeoria.com

Jordynn loves to volunteer and typically gets in about 25 hours a week, though she is now working creatively to find volunteer opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. She volunteers at food pantries, Feed our Kids, Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald house, St Jude, cancer benefits, Make a Wish, and The Alzheimer’s Network to name a few. Jordynn also tries to help others who support different organizations by asking people to donate and highlighting their acts of service on her social media.

In 2006, the True Patriots Care started to install flags at the funerals of our country’s fallen heroes as well. This aspect of the True Patriots Care in particular is very special to Lonnie. In the last two years, Lonnie has personally installed flags at the funerals of 93 locations in Illinois. As the organization said goodbye to 6 Police officers, 4 firemen, and 83 Veterans, Lonnie assisted in each one of the tributes no matter the time of day or weather conditions.

In addition to his work with the Patriots, Lonnie is always ready to help those in his community no matter the task. For example, when a friend needed a special needs ramp built, Lonnie acted quickly on the request and got it done. Lonnie also often assists an older woman he knows whenever she needs help and will drive over to her home. Most recently, Lonnie was going to meet a friend at his home and on the way he noticed a neighbor raking up apples so he helped pick them all up for him. Lonnie is truly a shining example of a veteran that is still serving and acting as a true patriot.

Joan oversees the daily operations of the organization and the seven-member board; she helps plan and attends most fundraising events in the 25,000 sq. mi territory, makes public appearances to promote their mission, maintains the veteran waitlist, contacts veterans for flights, trains all guardians and volunteers, and tends to all details of the flight day itinerary. Joan has the proud distinction of having been on all 59 flights and meeting and thanking every single veteran served by this hub. Although all honor flights nationally were grounded in 2020, Joan and the Board are currently working on planning for 2021 and finding alternative ways to ensure the 700 veterans on the waiting list feel appreciated.

Joan was born and raised in Dolton, IL and earned her Bachelors and Masters of Science in Political Science at Illinois State University. She retired in 2017 from her Assistant Human Resources Director/Bureau Chief position with the Illinois Department of Human Services after 40 years of service with the State of Illinois. She is honored to be the daughter of a WWII D-day paratrooper.

Bill works primarily in the maintenance shop, repairing broken furniture so it can be sold or given away. By repairing the furniture, Catholic Charities not only receives more money, but they also don’t have to pay a disposal fee to remove it. Bill also helps with maintenance issues so they don’t have to pay for service calls. He is truly an asset to their team and knows more about their building than any of their employees do. Karen mainly helps by sorting and cleaning houseware items. These items are then taken to the sales floor for sale or donation to their clients. When she finishes with the housewares, she then works in the clothing section. Bill and Karen continue to donate their time to help others and have served Catholic Charities longer than any of their employees. They are an indispensable husband and wife team, and are both willing to do anything that is needed to effectively serve the many clients of Catholic Charities.

Louie has been a Lakeview Pantry volunteer since spring of 2019, and has been an integral part of their mission. He helps out in many ways at the pantry, but his main role is acting as the pantry’s receptionist. This role is vital to the pantry’s success because Louie makes sure that clients have their questions answered and always feel individually recognized. He takes all of the pantry’s calls as well as aids clients during distribution. Louie has a way of brightening every day with laughter and making both fellow volunteers and clients feel seen and heard.

Cathy has also served on the 125th KDO Anniversary committee and is currently chair of the History committee. During this time, the organization recognized much of their rich history was being lost. For example, 100 year old documents were not being stored properly and the categorization methods for these documents did not grant ease of access. As chair, Cathy set out to design a plan to combat these issues and put thousands of hours into the project. Thanks to Cathy and her team, KDO now has valuable documents such as board minutes, annual reports, news articles, pictures, and more in a searchable, digital format.

The impact of Cathy’s work on this project is immeasurable to her community. Residents will eventually have access to this precious information and will recognize not only the rich history of their community, but also the value of volunteering. In addition to her work with KDO, Cathy has also worked with Habitat for Humanity, the Springfield Figure Skating board, Springfield Parks Foundation, Springfield High School’s Red Black Gala, and Helping Hands Shelter.

Beyond her additional contributions to these newly organized projects, Megan continues supporting the organizations she participated in previously. She is still fulfilling her role as Secretary with Junior League of Springfield and acts a volunteer/board member for Land of Lincoln Bookshare, Downtown Springfield Inc, Jaycees, and Off Duty Springfield.

Jason is always the first person to step up and volunteer when there is a cause in need of help. Particularly, he has been heavily involved in making Henry County, Illinois a musically diverse destination. Between Heartland Connections and the Levitt AMP Galva Music Series, hundreds of artists from all over the world, including Grammy winners and up and coming artists, have performed in the area. Jason has been instrumental in not only bringing these artists to Henry County, but also in showing the community that it is possible to experience world class music in a rural setting.

The most rewarding aspect of Jason’s actions is the fact that these concerts have become powerful community building events. As a result of their creation, many Henry County residents have become inspired to offer their time to new projects working to better the area. Over the past two years, over 15,000 people have been able to experience free, live music in part because of Jason’s contributions and his dedication to his community.

Vincent’s efforts to enact these new resources for his school required many different fundraisers and promotional events. After a year of hard work, the Herpetarium now includes 14 large terrariums that house 15 different species and 19 total reptiles and amphibians. It also includes all of the food, medicine, and supplies needed to care for and maintain the reptiles and their enclosures. The Herpetarium also benefits the school because it educates students about different reptile species, teaches students about reptile behavior in a hands-on environment, and encourages respect for the animals.

Vincent’s creation of the Wayne City School Herpetology Club also gave dozens of students the chance to gain valuable leadership skills by being appointed to positions as Officers and Zoo Keepers to oversee the care and maintenance of the different species, along with dozens of general members who maintain the Herpetarium on a daily basis and give educational tours and demonstrations to other classes, schools, and the general public.

Vincent was recently chosen as the recipient for the Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award for the Greater St. Louis Area Council, and won the Jr. Herpetologist Award for the 2020 International Herpetological Symposium. Through multiple fundraisers, he has helped raise over $14,000, with nearly 2,000 volunteer hours donated toward his project to date.

Liz found the Hanul Family Alliance’s call for meal delivery drivers through the volunteer agency HandsOn Suburban Chicago. She dedicates a few hours each week to transport food packages to three households in need. She typically has very limited or no contact with the seniors she assists. She simply knocks on their doors, leaves the food outside of their apartments, and then takes photos to verify that she has left the packages at the clients’ doors. In a recent interview regarding her volunteer service, Liz stated, “Although I can’t afford to buy it for them, I can give my time and the little gas money it takes to deliver it. It’s the least I can do in this situation. I wish I could do more.”

The Hanul Family Alliance primarily serves elderly Korean-Americans and other immigrant populations. With the global rise of hate crimes targeting individuals of Asian descent, many within that community fear not only for their health, but also their physical safety. Liz’s work enables those who cannot obtain food for themselves to receive culturally appropriate meals. It is through her continued support and kindness that she is able to work against the fear that allows racial scapegoating to persist within these communities.

When Chicago HOPES for Kids was invited to bring their after-school program into the Believe shelter on the southeast side of Chicago, Nakia immediately jumped into a leadership role with a great sense of energy. She began by including programming for a wider range of students that focused on slightly younger and slightly older students. She also made it a point to recognize the needs of the children they were serving by creating meaningful relationships with parents and students in order to understand their schedules.

Nakia also works hard to promote Chicago HOPES for Kids by attending community meetings, speaking to large groups of behalf of the program, and recruiting new volunteers. Nakia has attended WestSide Ministers Coalition meetings, South Shore Community meetings, and Austin Coming Together meetings. It is through her diligent and consistent efforts within the community that Chicago HOPES for Kids is able to participate within the community and connect families to great opportunities. Nakia is a talented advocate for Chicago HOPES for Kids and people experiencing homelessness.

Most recently Nakia responded to the COVID-19 situation in Chicago by embracing new calls to service without hesitation. She continued to serve at the Believe shelter until they were no longer accepting volunteers and then transitioned into creating and distributing materials necessary for students. She also began volunteering regularly at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Frieda’s Place, a soup kitchen in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, in order to directly address the growing rate of food insecurity during the public health crisis.

Early in the COVID-19 crisis, Susan realized that masks of all sorts would be in short supply. She also knew that one of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety is to engage in physical activity. She started a private Facebook Group to catalog mask making patterns and she initially sewed about 80 masks for the medical and healthcare community. These were donated to donors at a blood drive at her church, a home healthcare agency, and the Superhero patterns went to a hospital. But when the statewide mask protocol was announced for the general public, she realized that a mask had to be developed that was simpler and faster to produce. She dove into a large stash of tie-dyed t-shirts to produce the “Woodstock” pattern, named for her town and a nod to the everlasting style, and put up signs for the free masks outside her house. Members of the community and a screen printer donated more t-shirts to be recycled, and to date, over 850 masks have been made and distributed. “In the midst of the crisis, I realized how I had already been blessed with time, skill, and material to help meet the needs of other people. Seeing the people drive up and select masks - this has been more fun than Trick or Treat!”, said Whitfield.

With limited resources, Demetrius volunteers his personal vehicle to deliver breakfast and lunch. "At times we find ourselves struggling to keep this effort going, but we know we are still better off than the clients we are serving. We keep getting up each day to make sure they are taken care of."

For a minimum donation of $25, UnitedWePipe will visit the donors neighbor and play a 15-20 minute concert, while ensuring social distance. In just a few short weeks, Damon and Aidan have raised hundreds of dollars to the COVID-19 Response Fund.

Damon says, “we are hoping to have many more performances to raise money and connect people during these trying time with music.” To learn more about this father son team, visit their website.

Kyle also has plans to make 3D printed ear guards that can be attached to the adjustable face shields he has already created. "I'm going to keep printing them and if (his neighbor)doesn't need them, I'll give them to other hospitals," Kyle said.

A 2018 graduate from Northwestern University, she studied TV/Film and Journalism, and is a recipient of the School of Communications’ Creative Writing Certificate. Since graduation, she has worked in freelance photography and on commercial film sets, and she is most excited to meet new faces by the grace of her camera lens. With a yearning to tell stories about humanity and social impact, she joined AmeriCorps through the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago to dive into the nonprofit sector. As the Neighborhood Multimedia Journalist, she is learning more about the city she’s lived near her entire life while uncovering new storytelling methods to communicate impact, growth and history, all at once.

Learn how you can serve through AmeriCorps at AmeriCorps.gov.

Kayla will be completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences in August, 2020. Illinois is fortunate to have Kayla and her AmeriCorps colleagues onboard during these uncertain times. She willingly assists where needed and utilizes her nursing skills to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Learn how you can serve through AmeriCorps at AmeriCorps.gov.

He is sometimes seen teaching students chess during their recess, stressing the importance of strategies as they relate to life; always thinking of how the current move will affect the future move. When parents visit the school, he offers a firm handshake and enough conversation to gain trust, knowing that the support will be most effective when his trust has been gained.

Schools are now closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Dan remains a valuable team member. He arrives every day to greet families coming to Kennedy for food distribution. He delivers Chromebooks, work packets, and food to families who have indicated they do not have transportation. He knocks on doors of students who have lost touch with their teachers, providing strong encouragement to get connected. He boosts everyone's morale during a time that it's needed most.

Kennedy's Principal, Cynthia Veronda, stated, "Sure, Dan Harris is a part-time employee for Kankakee School District 111. But, his dedication to the students and families of Kennedy Middle Grade School and Kankakee School District, as a whole, is hishis full-time passion."

When she is not responding to pandemics, Brooke is a Fire Explorer in Champaign City Post 207 and Champaign County Post 31, and she is a probationary member of the Tuscola Fire Department.

At Lakeview Pantry, James takes on many roles while volunteering. He organizes inventory, prepares the pantry for distribution by sorting and restocking, packs boxes for distribution, and overall helps to serve clients in need. Lakeview Pantry’s mission is to eliminate hunger and increase the independence of their clients. As an independent nonprofit, they rely on volunteers to help execute that mission. James’s service is crucial during this uncertain time.

On a typical day at one of Lakeview’s locations, the pantry will serve around 175 households with a team of about 12 volunteers. During the time of the pandemic, they have seen an increase of almost 40% in demand for our food programs. Their essential, sometimes life-saving services are clearly needed now more than ever. Volunteers such as James make the mission possible. Find out more about Lakeview Pantry at www.lakeviewpantry.org.

Lynn is a mother of four, who moved to Springfield twenty-two years ago after graduating with a degree in Business from WIU. Along with her duties as the bookkeeper for her husband’s financial planning firm, she is extremely active with the YMCA. She gives individual lessons, mentors the younger instructors, and signs up to teach as many baby swim classes as she can. During home swim meets, you can find her organizing and preparing the “best concessions in Illinois”; providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the athletes and their families while raising money for the team. Lynn was also on a fundraising team that raised over $400,000 for the new downtown YMCA and works with the coaches to secure sponsorship donations every year for the swim team and for the Strong Kids scholarship program.

Lucille doesn't let being the oldest volunteer at Memorial Medical Center stop her from sharing her time and talent with the Rehab Grads – a group for patients, and their loved ones, who have completed one of Memorial's inpatient rehab programs. For more than 10 years, Lucille has enjoyed working on projects with her fellow volunteers and has served nearly 550 hours.

At 96-years-old, Lucille continues to be a shining example of service to others and Memorial is honored to have Lucille as part of their volunteer team. 

 And just like his mentees, James set a goal and got on the path to achieving it. Earlier this year he received a letter of intent to play college football at Ottawa University in Kansas. Through the help of AmeriCorps, the City of Springfield, and Land of Lincoln Goodwill, James is about to live his dream and continue to help others live theirs!

 Katherine's hard work and dedication led her to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor from the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. She and the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois are also award recipients of the Illinois Governor's Hometown Award. 

Katherine has always had the heart to serve others. She has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten and considered a Girl Scout for life.  Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois members and staff speak very highly of Katherine and state that she is leader of tomorrow.

As a volunteer advocate, Ya'Shika currently works two cases; however, during her 2 year tenure, she has advocated for a total of 18 children. Ya'Shika spends quality time with her children by engaging with them in a variety of different environments, such as school, home, and out in the community. Ya'Shika goes the extra mile by providing assistance with homework or being that consistent – supportive person in their lives. All parties involved with Ya'Shika’s cases says Ya'Shika is a great person to work with, easy-going, helpful and has pure passion for advocating for the best interests of the children she serves. When Ya'Shika is not advocating for her CASA children, she is providing case management services to youth in the Decatur community at Homework Hang Out.  

Ya'Shika comments that becoming a CASA volunteer has helped define how she can become a better individual to support and add value to the lives of others. Ya'Shika loves the amazing children she meets and is thankful she can help provide a better opportunity to children in foster care.

Dejanai serves as a youth mentor at Laketown Elementary School’s 21st Century Afterschool Learning Center. She enjoys working with the students and challenging them to be the best that they can be. Dejanai mentors a minimum of four days a week, while still maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Also, Dejanai is an active member of Lanphier High School’s dance team. Dejanai is quiet yet assertive and fully committed to making Laketown Elementary School’s 21st Century Afterschool Program a quality program that students are excited to attend. Miss Dejanai, as students call her, is a very dedicated and conscientious worker.

Host Site Supervisor Dylan Flowers says, “Dejanai is one of my most consistent team members, she is flexible always willing to handle the different situations that come up during the program.” Dejanai dependability makes her a vital asset to the afterschool program at Laketown.   

After high school, Dejanai plans to attend college in Texas and pursue a degree in the field of mental health, eventually obtain her master’s degree and become an inspirational psychologist. Through her service, education, and experiences, she plans to continue inspiring and helping others and credits AmeriCorps for strengthening her passion for serving.

At any given time, more than 50 seniors attend the Seasoned Circle Café to engage in reactional activities, sing, and enjoy a hot breakfast and lunch. During these times, Michelle is seen almost everywhere. Michelle is seen serving breakfast and lunch to the seniors, engaging in reactional activities, and often times playing games with the seniors. Michelle embodies the definition of hard work. She is the first to arrive and the last to leave. She ensures that all seniors leaves the Café in a happy mood and mindset. Michelle goes to different tables, cracking jokes and addressing the seniors by their first name. Michelle's mindset is to get things done in a positive way and by serving at the Seasoned Circle Café, she does just that. Many seniors at the Café have stated that Michelle's smile and warm energy is something that they look forward to throughout the day. Michelle said that serving for AmeriCorps was one of the best decisions she has made. 

Santos serves at Jefferson Elementary SPS School in Sterling, IL. Jefferson Elementary School is the top school in bilingual services for District #5(Sterling Public Schools). Santos helps students in the second grade master the English language with extra help with spelling, reading, and math facts. She takes the time to get to know each student personally and build relationships that go beyond the classroom. She also will support students by attending student activities outside of school hours. These activities will include church confirmations, choral concerts, and other community activities.

As Santos approaches her 4th year of being a Foster Grandparent for Tri-County Opportunities Council, she has received tremendous support and gratitude from teachers, students, and the community. Santos's daughter comments, "whether we are at church or a parade or just at the grocery store, there are always kids coming up say “Hi Grandma."” Santos is passionate and committed to providing services to her students and foster children to help better equip them for the future.

Millie served as the first Volunteer Director for the Anderson Hospital in efforts to recruit and grow the vision of the hospital. Today, membership in Anderson Auxiliary exceeds more than 200 volunteers who provide services in the gift shop, information desk, and parking lot shuttle to surgery centers. In addition to her hospital work, Millie has served on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Maryville Comprehensive Planning Board and Centennial Committee. She also served as a school secretary for 23 years.

Millie has dedicated her entire life to ensure everyone she comes in contact with has access to healthcare services. In recognition of her dedication, Millie received the Kimmel Award from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, President’s Call to Service Award, Founder’s Award from Anderson Hospital, Fred Winters Community Service Award from the Village of Maryville and Women of Distinction Award from the Springfield Diocese. All of these awards are examples of what leaders and members of Millie’s community think of her work for community betterment and volunteer leadership.

James volunteers at Storm Tech Solutions. Storm Tech Solutions is a weather tracking and consulting company that offers real-time and advance forecasting, along with storm tracking services, disaster response, recovery and restoration. He is their go-to source for weather information for first responders, companies, and organizations across the state of Illinois and the nation. He provides forecasts on a frequent basis along with recurring updates depicting the hazards and clearer detail as the event gets closer. James is passionate about ensuring people are always prepare and ready for a storm. He has partnered with a local community college to increase their Meteorology Education Program so that the students are better equipped to relay the hazards within the field to the public and first response communities.

 Paul is the owner of Paul Gregory media. Paul and his company's staff have donated over 80 hours of in-kind professional services to Giving DuPage and Habitat for Humanity of Illinois in 2019. Their skills-based volunteering has included web editing, social media marketing, graphics design and event/program support. Paul Is a former Board member of Giving DuPage, but still continues to participate in strategic meetings & discussions about the future plans for the organization.

 Paul's expertise and unique contribution to providing technology-based solutions for marketing and board governance include creating graphic design work to produce the first-ever annual reports for Giving DuPage and Habitat for Humanity of Illinois. Other contributions include creating a "Build Happy" campaign to raise $60,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Illinois and selecting a volunteer app software as the platform for the Giving DuPage volunteer portal site. These accomplishments only begin to skim the surface of Paul's impact during his time serving both organizations.

 Paul Feith is well-known for his generosity in the DuPage County. His services provided have been said to be a blessing.   

Ann has served as a volunteer for the Giant City School District #130 for many years providing extra educational assistance to faculty and students. Ann Dillard makes it her priority to meet the needs of every child or adult she encounters. Ann's willingness to share her time and talents with schools in the district has provided the precious service of time for students and staff in a rural school.

The strategies Ann delivers to classrooms as a former educator, using her experiences for the greater good, allow students and staff to learn extra tips and strategies for success. She has also been instrumental in helping student increase test scores. This experiential learning approach has impacted over 200 students and over 20 teachers at Giant City school. Ann's positive outlook on life and her love learning makes it easy for her to commit to service in her community. 

Meredith volunteers at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE). She serves as Volunteer Coordinator, helping students maximize their talents and passions to serve the community. Meredith discovered her passion for community engagement, which led to her work with the YMCA. Meredith continues YMCA's mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

At SIUE, Meredith encourages students to give back to their community and to be their community's voice. She has encouraged over 20 students to join AmeriCorps just four short months. Her passion to serve is infectious. SIUE students state that Meredith's love of service makes it easy for others to commit to serve.

Juan is a 13-year-old boy who has beat childhood cancer twice. He was diagnosed with Stage 2 lymphoma in 2016 and beat it in 6 months. This past year the lymphoma returned at a stage 4 level and after a bone marrow transplant, Juan beat it again. HSHS St. John's Children's Hospital has been Juan's home hospital while receiving treatment. Juan wanted to give back to the hospital and community that made him feel so at-home. Last year, Juan and his mother decided to start a toy drive and fundraiser to bless sick children and their families who must spend Christmas in the hospital. Juan personally delivers each of these gifts on Christmas Eve.

Juan asks that others may give what has so kindly been given to him over these last few years. For details on how you can help Juan with his toy drive, please visit the Juan's Christmas Smiles Toy Drive Facebook page. 

The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children experience the joy of Christmas and to unite all members of local communities in a common cause during the annual toy campaign. The donations received for the Chili Cook-off combined with yearlong fundraising efforts equaled a considerable amount. The Bell building staff members were able to purchase approximately 40 toys donated to Toys for Tots, plus an additional 29 that were donated.

Nadia has established excellent rapport with community members of CCK. She is enthusiastic, warm, welcoming and encouraging. Nadia reaches the community all over Cook County at food pantries, resource fairs, returning citizen support networks and more. Her presence is versatile and has reached a diverse client base to spread the word about all the Food Depository's community resources. The Food Depository is excited to see how Nadia continues to grow past her service year with AmeriCorps!

Ben's service started through a summer program coordinated by a post-secondary certificate program for young adults with disabilities. Ben lives independently with both physical and developmental disabilities. He has a speech impairment that requires the use of verbal and nonverbal gestures with assistance from a speaking software program.

Having Ben as a volunteer has motivated MSV to seek an ongoing partnership with PACE at National Louis University to ensure continued service opportunities for disabled young adults. Ben assists with training and onboarding of new PACE volunteers each year.

Ben's speech impairment has not affected his ability to communicate and lead. He makes everyone feel welcome and appreciated while receiving food. Ben has inspired others to speak not only with words, but with positive gestures, humor, and kindness. 

Julia enlists the help of almost 2,000 community volunteers for the project. Families, community groups, businesses, and teams have made volunteering at the Judy Mason Thanksgiving Basket project a yearly tradition. Volunteers prepare each box for distribution by filling, taping, or stacking. Julia also partners with over 55 community agencies to help make the project possible. Each agency is responsible for getting food in the hands of families who need help. All food items are paid for with monetary donations from members of the community.

The Judy Mason Thanksgiving Basket Project is not the only thing on Julia's plate. She is the Executive Director of Macon County CASA where she provides volunteers to advocate for abused, neglected or dependent children in the Macon County juvenile court system.

Alex volunteers at the Mary Brown Center, an after-school site in East St. Louis. Alex mentors several students at the Mary Brown Center. He is responsible for implementing effective learning strategies and serving as a positive role model to all students.  Alex ensures that every student completes their homework and departs the center correctly. He stresses the importance of team work and community by encouraging students to work together.

Students at the Mary Brown Center describe Alex as fun, funny, and "like a big brother." Staff have complimented Alex on his eagerness to interact with the students. Alex has volunteered at a variety of different sites and events, but his time at the Mary Brown Center stands out as his favorite. 

The MOVSM recognizes members of the military who perform substantial volunteer service to the local community above and beyond their required duties. Matteson volunteered at the Abraham Lincoln Council, Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scout Pack 38 in Springfield, Illinois, from January 2015 through November 2018. She led weekly meetings, organized community service events, and monthly fundraising efforts. She assisted multiple Cub Scouts transition through the ranks from Webelos to the Arrow of Light.

Her Scouts collected and donated hundreds of pounds of nonperishable food products to the Inner City Mission, volunteered numerous hours visiting residents of Concordia Village and the Mary Bryant Home For the Blind and Visually Impaired. Matteson was part of the launch of Cub Scout Pack 38's program for girls which led to the Boy Scouts of America chartering Troop 38, Springfield's first all-girls troop in February 2019.

Matteson has served in the Illinois Army National Guard since April 1994, and assigned to the 108th Sustainment Brigade in June 2018.

Diana Murphy became a crisis line volunteer with NRS in September of 2016. Since then, she has completed the 40-hour crisis intervention training program and dedicated more than 260 hours to handling crisis contacts nationwide. Diana has personally handled over 423 individual contacts. Each contact was a person who needed direct, full attention for a crisis affecting their life.

Diana selflessly gives her time responding to youth and families in crisis. The desire to give back is evident on the line as Diana exhibits a calm, warm tone with non-directive language. Utilizing strong active listening skills may seem an obvious way to provide services, but it takes a caring individual willing to implement them for an effective delivery of service. Diana successfully helps callers gain back some sense of control to do what is best for their lives.

November is National Runaway Prevention Month. Learn more at 1800runaway.org.

Haleigh led the Project YES! MLK Day project this year as logistics committee head. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the project every year is a Youth Literacy Fair. The theme this year was "Go Anywhere with a Book!" The Youth Literacy Fair allows volunteers to help children learn the importance of literacy through fun and interactive activities. As Logistics leader, Haleigh delegated tasks to fellow members, organized activities, and engaged children in fun and creative ways.

Her peers nominated Haleigh for the Project YES! Member 2 Remember Award. Others describe Haleigh as a born leader, positive, hard-working, and dedicated to all that she does. She is a team player and is inclusive of other members' ideas. 

Sometimes the students require a little help with reading and writing when they first start school. Teachers may not have that extra time to spend with a student due to their busy schedules. That is where Midge lends a hand. Her favorite hobby is teaching first graders to read. Other times, she takes more of a supportive role by listening to the students.

Providing a "softer side to school" is what the Foster Grandparent program is all about, said Senior Corps Foster Grandparent Director, Susie Welch.

Midge has been described as "a remarkable woman" who builds special relationships with those she mentors. She is the "go-to" Foster Grandparent at Dillon Elementary for her ability to answer other volunteers' questions.

Until about a year ago, Midge also spent every other Sunday volunteering in CGH Medical Center's gift shop. Due to an injury she is unsure if she will be back to finish out the year at Dillon Elementary. Whether she returns or not, she will always have the extended family that she has built over 20 years – all of whom still call her Grandma.

Jasmine serves at the Lessie Bates Davis Family Development Early Childhood Center in East St. Louis. She is an educational advocate to over a dozen children at the early childhood center. Jasmine mentors children, communicates concerns to staff, and works with parents. She also networks with appropriate support service agencies to ensure children in the center have a promising future.

Jasmine encourages the children at the Family Development Center by pushing them to achieve their dreams. Staff have stated that Jasmine is an asset to the entire team. The students all love Jasmine and her impact will last beyond her AmeriCorps service. 

Mark Holderbaugh first learned about Eastern Illinois Foodbank dearly a decade ago while participating in a food repackaging event. Mark continued to volunteer beyond the first repack, eventually becoming the Repack Captain. Repack Captains are responsible for leading volunteers to repacking food into smaller portions and ensuring food sanitation practices are followed. When Eastern Illinois Foodbank needed volunteers to help run the Foodmobile food distribution program, Mark stepped into another leadership role as Foodmobile Captain. As Foodmobile Captain he responsible for setting up, tearing town, gathering volunteers, and serving as the primary resource on the day of distribution.

After years of volunteering, Mark had the idea to develop food pantries to serve veterans. He championed a $75,000 grant application that resulted in full funding. The pop-up veteran pantry launched in November 2016 and has distributed food to over 2,000 veterans and their families. Mark has helped distribute nearly 1,108,000 meals to neighbors in need through Eastern Illinois Foodbank's 18-county service area. 

Andrea was innovative in meeting the needs of the community through partnerships with teachers to discuss student needs. She was flexible with educational priorities and schedules, while delivering curriculum-centered materials that help meet core educational goals. During her service, Andrea created an after-school STEM program to share her love of science with the students of Roosevelt Elementary. She also introduced experiential learning methods that incorporate education through hands-on activities during camp, tutoring, and after school programming.

Andrea has formed alliances with other organizations, such as University of Illinois Extension, to utilize a broader range of materials for youth programs and services in Belleville schools. Belleville AmeriCorps is proud to call Andrea Berry an alum!

One Food Depository Link2Feed partner commented, "Special thanks to Kennedy for her patience dealing with our clients. She showed excellent professionalism and outstanding guidance in the implementation of the new system. Her understanding of Link2Feed is exceptional."

Kennedy has overcome a laundry list of personal obstacles in the short term she has been at the Food Depository. She continues to face all obstacles with a smile on her face. Staff are constantly impressed by her persistence, positive attitude, and hard work shown in everything she does. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is excited to see how Kennedy continues to grow past her service year with AmeriCorps.

Jose introduced the idea of combining CommunityHealth's diabetes education course with their healthy cooking course. As an outstanding instructor for both courses, Jose is able to teach the Spanish-speaking diabetic patients how to make real changes in their kitchens to manage blood sugar. Most of the the Spanish-speaking patients are originally from Mexico, as is Jose's family. With this shared heritage, he is able to provide culturally relevant health education that is realistic and appealing to class members. Patients are now able to get the education they need with fewer trips to the clinic.

Jose's impact on the Spanish speaking patients at CommunityHealth is immeasurable. He has spent more than 260 volunteer hours educating more than one hundred patients. The graduating classes have reported these changes have affected their entire household. The ripple of a healthy lifestyle can create a better life for generations to come.

The core of A.B.L.E.'s programming are its ensembles for teens and adults. Supported by a staff of teaching artists and volunteer facilitators, ensembles work together to create theatre and film projects while strengthening lifelong skills including communication, confidence, and cooperation. Ensembles produce an average of 4 theatre performances each year, ranging from original stories devised by the ensemble to classics by Shakespeare, Dickens, and Gilbert & Sullivan. For these productions, A.B.L.E. partners with professional venues around Chicago.

Katie continues to expand creative and social opportunities through core ensembles, workshops, and outreach. By promoting practices that place participants with disabilities in the spotlight, Katie strives to shift societal preconceptions about disability. She hopes her work will continue to build more inclusive, empathetic communities.

To learn more about ABLE Ensemble check out their website at ABLE Ensemble.

The Springfield Urban League's AmeriCorps Program is designed to engage AmeriCorps members in direct service and capacity-building to address unmet needs. Services include mentoring youth, assisting disaster victims, helping with community gardens, assisting with the organization of community programs, and mobilizing community volunteers to strengthen the capacity of the organizations where they serve.

Currently, Shauniera performs tasks around the main building in the Springfield Urban League. She enjoys the opportunity to help her community while having a flexible schedule. Her favorite part about being an AmeriCorps member is making a difference in the lives of others.

Shauniera believes that being an AmeriCorps member has helped her become more community service minded and more aware of her community's needs.

Lance is a dedicated tutor, working with student-athletes to not only complete homework assignments and prepare for tests, but really understand the concepts they are learning. He understands that while passing a test and getting the grade is important, math goes much further. Lance strives to make math understandable and applicable to life beyond the classroom.

Lance goes above and beyond to make time for student-athletes. He is available for questions and last-minute study support if student-athletes feel unprepared for tests or assignments.

Lance has been known to attend games and cheer on those in the program. He supports the Beyond Sports Foundation student-athletes both inside and outside the classroom. Lance is a valuable member of the Beyond Sports team. 

Peyton recognized that if she could make a difference at her age, others could too. At the time, many organizations didn't accept young volunteers. Her desire to give youth an opportunity to make a difference was the start of My Voice. My Voice is an organization that focuses on getting children and teens involved in their communities to create positive and meaningful change.

Peyton understands the value of giving back. She serves on the Ronald McDonald Teen Advisory Board, Student Council, and VHGive Executive Board. Peyton has inspired others to follow in her footsteps. She helps children and teens and children find volunteer opportunities for causes they are passionate about. 

When Gabriela came on board for the United Way of Metro Chicago AmeriCorps Program, she brought her bright personality and experience to the table. She has found power and strength in her voice and does not doubt the change she can make on a new level. Recently she coordinated a partnership between her service site and a clothing store to provide winter clothing to families who needed in need.

The enthusiasm she brings to her service is contagious. Gabriela has a promising future in the community engagement world as she continues to build relationships with everyone she meets. 

Kari helps and encourages adults who are working towards their GED at the local unemployment office. She helps them with GED preparation and shares her own experience of being a GED student. Kari has overcome hardships in her life as a high school dropout and single mom. She turned her hardship into success by completing her GED and continuing to finish her bachelor's degree. Kari has shared these personal and professional experience to relate to her GED students.

Kari has successfully instilled persistence and hope into each of her students. By her commitment and example, students have seen they are capable of much more than they think. By her example, they will become examples of hope to others and make an impact in their communities.

Mr. Mycyk coordinated a relationship between RTMS students and professional media figures. Club members have produced brilliant school news programming with the help of media experts. He has provided a forum for students to learn about an industry to which they would normally have limited access. The students now have the courage to record a daily news program for the entire school to watch.

Broadcasting and Media Club has significant meaning because of the connection to a broad array of students. Mr. Mycyk's influence has empowered students to go outside of their comfort zones and try something new. Teachers have commented on how impressed they are with what the students have learned in such a short period of time.  The club builds self-esteem that will benefit students far beyond the halls of River Trails Middle School.

Although media programming is limited to the school, its scope far exceeds anything ever imagined. The club has impacted school culture by exposing viewers to a more diverse group of peers representing them. Mr. Mycyk provided River Trails Middle School students and staff an unbelievable experience, and he did it as a volunteer. 

Vashon is a volunteer at the LBDNH Trinity Outreach Center Food Pantry. The food pantry, located in Washington Park, provides food boxes, clothing, household appliances, personal hygiene items and much more. The food pantry refers clients to other departments at the agency when additional assistance is needed. The food pantry also provides nutritional education, SNAP education, care for veterans and seniors and an opportunity for community service work.

Vashon is the first member to arrive and the last member to leave. He helps to distribute food boxes to citizens throughout the community. Vashon assists with the loading of the food truck, keeping the food pantry clean, and helps gather food and items from local and nearby shelters.

Vashon loves volunteering for AmeriCorps because AmeriCorps allows him the opportunity to be active in his community and be a source of help to others. 

Zoë had a student who received acceptance to a small liberal arts college. After visiting the campus, the student fell in love with the school. However, due to cost, that student determined she would have to attend a comparatively less expensive school that was closer to home. Zoë was determined to exhaust every option at that students' disposal. With her help and encouragement, the student was able to advocate for herself and secure an additional $2,500 grant. Similar situations occurred with four other students in her cohort. After Zoë's intervention, each of the schools provided additional funding. Now those students are on their way to attending their top choices.

In addition to her dedication to students, Zoë has encouraged and supported many of her team members. Team members have described Zoë as a true team leader. She is reliable, and her leadership skills are second to none. Members say Zoë seems to know all the answers, and when she doesn't, she is determined to figure them out.

Zoë is a patient, loyal, reliable, and hardworking AmeriCorps member. She has a big heart and endless patience with both students and her fellow team members.  Zoë is communicative, eloquent, and a strong leader; she is never afraid to speak her truth. 

The Springfield Urban League's AmeriCorps Program is designed to engage AmeriCorps members in direct service and capacity-building to address unmet needs. Services include mentoring youth, assisting disaster victims, helping with community gardens, assisting with the organization of community programs, and mobilizing community volunteers to strengthen the capacity of the organizations where they serve.

L'Sonya serves at Washington Middle School- 21st Century, Southeast High Athletic Events, and at other District 186 events. Through these opportunities she serves in the after-school homework program, works at the admissions table, and help with concessions and cleanup. She participates in a variety of service events with District 186 in Springfield throughout the year.

Her Favorite part about being an AmeriCorps member is helping others, meeting new people, and impacting the lives of others through service. L'Sonya enjoys the educational benefits of being an AmeriCorps member. Her financial reward is a way for her to empower herself and help others. 

Alex has become a mentor to our first year members, is Co-Chair of our AmeriCorps Cohort Committee, participates in Y.O.U's equity committees, plans member outings and service projects, and shares knowledge with staff members. On top of this, she is incredibly dedicated to the youth she serves in Y.O.U.'s free after school programs.

Alex takes it her goal to facilitate enrichment activities that encompass youth voice in the Youth & Opportunity United free after school program. Alex is currently running an enrichment group where students get to use MetaMedia in Evanston to write and record original songs. One student recently told Alex that participating in her group was their most fun day in a long time.

Alex offers students respect and support that positively affects their behavior. She's also given students countless hours of academic support. Alex communicates with students about growth areas and taking initiative in their education. After this service year, Alex will be enrolling in grad school working toward a master's degree in Social Work.

Through Kiwanis Club, William has helped raise enough money to provide scholarships for students continuing their education. Under William's direction, the club has also helped promote gun safety instruction in local schools.

William's service is not limited to Marion Kiwanis. He also serves as Associate Pastor of March of Faith Community Church. In this role he acts as a positive, encouraging, role model for youth and adolescents. William has also become a lead volunteer during the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois. As a son of a veteran, the honor flight is something he always makes time for.

When not volunteering, William is working as Assistant Administrator for a local hospital where he guides strategic planning to impact those throughout the community. William truly lives to make a positive impact on the world.

When Craig retired from his job he decided he needed a way to keep busy. Craig has over 20 years of experience with 3D printers. Craig began volunteering in the adult 3D classes and soon began assisting KidSpace staff with younger CAD attendees.

The library owns two separate 3D printers, one of which was constantly not working. Prior to Craig's arrival, the library was considering purchasing a new printer to replace the malfunctioning one.  After countless hours of volunteer time and patience, Craig was able to fix the printer.

Craig's time and experience have been invaluable to Gail Borden Public Library. Without his volunteer efforts, programs may have been cancelled or limited to the public. There seems to be no technology he isn't afraid to use, teach, or troubleshoot.

Craig has volunteered over 200 hours in just 6 short months. His impact on the community will be remembered for years to come.

As their impact has grown, so has the evidence that their holistic approach to human services improves lives now and for generations ahead. Today, AHS serves everyone who seeks their help, regardless of race or ethnicity. While they continue to deepen their mission with immigrant and refugee communities, all are welcome.

Edith serves as the Daycare & Family Engagement Assistant at Asian Human Services’ Literacy Education for Adults and Families (LEAF) Program. There, she spends the majority of her time guiding young children—most of whom are immigrants and English language learners—in their cognitive, social, linguistic, and emotional growth.

Despite a long commute and the usual challenges that come with a rowdy classroom of 2 year-olds, ‘Ms. Edith’ shows up every day with a smile and open arms. This positive presence extends beyond just her students, as Edith helps to organize and lead monthly family engagement activities to boost parent involvement. Whether it’s cradling a restless child to help them fall asleep or baking cookies for families to decorate, Edith is dedicated in her care of others.

Mentoring sessions include non-judgmental one-on-one discussions designed to help the Little make good life choices. Topics covered during the sessions range from the importance of your digital footprint and making good friendship choices to preparing for college. The 20 Illinois Comcast employees who volunteered their time this year all agree that they've personally gotten a lot out of volunteering for the program.

For more information about Comcast's giving strategy, visit @ComcastNBCUCI, @ComcastILLINOIS on Twitter or go to www.comcast.com/community

PMML’s mission is to acquire and maintain an accessible collection of books and related materials on military history, with a focus on the concept of the Citizen Soldier in America. Today, building upon that foundation through the generosity of private donors, PMML has become a non-partisan museum and library that attempts to increase the public understanding of military history and the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served. Christine is dedicated to fulfilling this mission and foundation in each her volunteer activities.

Christine has successfully facilitated the Oral History Program, catalogued over 2,000 military photos, and tagged approximately 50,000 books for the new library system. She acts as a liaison between organizations completing similar tasks such the Korean War Museum and the American Legion.

Christine’s efforts are not limited to PMML. She takes pride in honoring families who have lost loved ones in service. Christine has been active in organizing the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and is a Board Member of the Hershel Woody Williams Foundation. She is also an Associate Member of the Korean War Veterans Association and an Auxiliary Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2791.

In her own neighborhood, Christine is an active volunteer for the Tinley Park Veterans Commission. Christine’s service is vital in a society where less than 5% of the population serve in the armed forces or in a national service.

Cassie has been an active Safety Assistant at her workplace for approximately 2 years. She has received and completed invaluable training on First Aid/CPR/AED and Stop the Bleed Training as a Safety Team member. She is a kindhearted, brave, and confident individual. In an emergency, whether it is a fire, tornado or other event, she helps all staff members in their building evacuate and get to safety or take cover quickly when the situation calls for it. Cassie puts her coworkers’ safety before her own by offering additional evacuation assistance to staff with mobility challenges. Her fellow employees all know that Cassie will put her training to use and do all that she can in an emergency.

Cassie’s motto is simple: “I will help. I will do more than is expected of me to help others. I am important and so is everyone around me.” She truly is a born leader and selfless volunteer. For more information about volunteer opportunities with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Illinois Capital Region, please visit: https://bbbsspringfieldil.org/

While assisting with GED preparation, Kari shares her personal experience of being a GED student. Kari uses her personal and professional experience to connect with each student. She shares her experiences of overcoming hardships as a high school dropout and single mom. She shares how she turned her hardship into success by completing her GED and later finishing her bachelor's degree.

Kari instills persistence and hope into each of her students. Through her commitment to teaching, students see they are capable of much more than they initially thought. By her example, students will become beacons of hope to others and make positive impacts in their communities.

Jalen greets every student with a handshake or a high five to put a smile on their faces. Students have stated that “Jalen is the best person around,” “Jalen is cool,” and “I always look for Jalen to giving me a high five.” Teachers have stated, “Jalen is extremely great with the students,” “The student’s love Jalen,” and “Jalen is a natural”.

Jalen has volunteered at many different sites and participated in a variety of community services events and activities, but volunteering at the Dunbar Elementary School is one he will always remember. When asked why Jalen serves for AmeriCorps he said he loves to help people and AmeriCorps gives him a platform to do so.

This year, the students reached their goal of units donated and were awarded a grant of $273 due to their exceptional efforts. The students decided to donate the funding to Fulton County ESDA’s Project Lifesaver Program. Project Lifesaver helps individuals with Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia or other impairments that may cause them to wander. Those in the program wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle.

The students are huge fans of Fulton County ESDA’s newest team member, Trash Panda. Fulton County ESDA Director, Chris Helle’s family adopted Trash Panda from the Humane Society of Fulton County. Since then, Trash Panda has become a meme sensation for the agency’s Facebook page and a true member of the ESDA team. Behind the jokes, Helle says he’s thankful Trash Panda is bringing attention to serious safety topics in a fun way while raising awareness for the Humane Society.

Nora has continued to be involved with the program at the SRHAC shelter in the Austin neighborhood Chicago. She helps to enroll the children at the beginning of each program session and conducts reading assessments to provide information on students’ reading levels. She supports the Site Coordinators in managing student behavior while helping the children with their homework, reading skills, and enrichment activities four afternoons/week.

Nora was instrumental in seeking funds for a field trip for the children and their families to the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI). She received a grant that provided a bus, tickets to the museum, and lunch for the families and volunteers who helped chaperone for the day at MSI. Everyone had an amazing time!

Chicago HOPES for Kids wants to thank Nora for her dedication to the children and families at the SRHAC shelter. She has been an inspiration for all around her!