Our most recent participation in the Community Empowerment Shower collaborative service event at Willow Crystal Lake, 100 S. Main on June 16 was a big success. Empower Shower is a one-stop service which include showers, laundry facilities, haircuts, food, housing and rental info, utility assistance, and gift cards in addition to Compassion for Campers supplies. Participating organizations include Pioneer Center, McHenry County Housing Authority, Veterans Path to Hope, Home of the Sparrow, Live4LALI, St. Vincent DePaul Society, and Warp Corps. We distributed almost all the major camping gear items your generous contributions made possible and filled 8 backpacks with smaller items including bug spray, sunscreen, personal care items, socks, toilet paper, and some food items for Algonquin Township to distribute to the homeless who come to them. Willow is letting us keep some of our gear there between distributions.
The next shower events will be held on the first and third Fridays of every month— August 6 and 20 from 10 am to 2 pm. We have ordered more supplies for those events and for our Woodstock distribution point at Warp Corps, 114 N. Benton. Thanks for your continued generous support. We will continue to need a steady stream of contributions to keep up with the increased demand and we are also trying to build reserves so that we can contribute to supplying hotel rooms in case of another cold weather emergency this winter. Money donations can be made to TOLUUC by check with Compassion for Campers on the memo line or donate online here.