CTC Holiday Give-A-Thon

Hi everyone! My name is Hannah Dalinka and I am the Vice President of Chi Town Connection (CTC). One of my duties is to run CTC’s philanthropic efforts. I am excited to announce our first event, Chi Town Connections Holiday Give-A-Thon! For this event, we are partnering with Fill a Heart 4 Kids and we will be donating items that Fill a Heart 4 Kids is in need of. Lots of us are fortunate enough to be able to celebrate the holidays with family (even if only over zoom) and get lots of gifts. For the 25,000 foster children and unaccompanied homeless children living in Illinois, that is not the case.

Fill a Heart 4 Kids in an organization that helps to support around 1,350 children who are in foster care or are unaccompanied and homeless. On the Fill A Heart 4 Kids website, they list many horrifying statistics. For example, in Illinois, there are only approximately 600 beds for the 25,000 children in need. Many homeless children are turned away from shelters because they do not have enough beds. Then, these homeless youth need to fend for themselves. They are forced to sleep on the streets and are exposed to all sorts of horrible dangers. Many of those children are exploited, too. The Fill a Heart 4 Kids website states, “We partner with corporations, schools, and groups to leverage resources and services to create the best outcome for kids in desperate need…4 Brighter Futures.” CTC is asking you, and the rest of the community, to help Fill a Heart 4 Kids.

Donating for this fundraiser is super easy. Fill a Heart 4 Kids has compiled a special Amazon list for us for items that they are in most need of. All you need to do is select as many items as you wish to donate and purchase them. The items will then be shipped directly to the Fill a Heart 4 Kids location. It is that easy!

One important item on the Amazon list is mostly gift cards, which allow kids to go into warm places to get food, and helps them stay off the streets. There are also tons of blankets on the lists because as it gets colder, they are very much needed. You can donate as few or as many items as you would like. You can access the amazon wish list by clicking HERE.

During this difficult time, Fill a Heart 4 Kids needs our help, maybe more than ever. Please feel free to spread the word about our event with your family, friends, neighbors, camp friends, schools, etc. Please donate and pass along some of the holiday magic and cheer that we, fortunate people, often take for granted. Happy holidays and stay healthy!

If you wish to learn more about Fill a Heart 4 Kids visit their website.

Make sure to follow CTC on Instagram for updates.

Thank you in advance for all your support!