We hope you will help these helping agencies by getting them something from their wish list.

This week we are publishing four lists for the first time and repeating several others, as space permits. A more complete listing of local agencies and their needs is available at www.illinoistimes.com

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois

610 N. 7th Street 217-528-3314

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois is located in the heart of Springfield's medical community. Since opening in 1986, we've provided more than 10,000 families with a convenient "home away from home" while their children are hospitalized. We're here to offer a good night's sleep, a hot meal, and everything needed to keep the parents' lives as simple as possible while they tend to the important task at hand: devoting all of their love and support to helping their child get well. We have a fully equipped kitchen, comfortable living and recreation rooms, laundry room, 12 bedrooms each with a private bath, and many other amenities. A large pantry is always stocked with food available to all guests at no charge. The house is owned and operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization.

Office Supplies:

• Postage Stamps
• White & Pastel Copy paper (8 1/2 x11)
• HP Ink #96 & #97
• Sticky Notes – all sizes

Guest Needs:

• Deodorants (personal size)
• Personal/feminine hygiene products

Current Pantry Needs:

• Sugar
• Butter
• Eggs
• Tea
• Juice
• Canned Meats or Meat for the Freezer
• Fast Breakfast Foods (ex. Waffles, HotPockets)
• Individual Cereals
• Individual Snack Items
• Microwaveable Lunch Items
• Vegetable Oil
• Saltines
• Mayonnaise
• Frosting
• Chocolate Syrup
• Cream Style Soups
• Pickles
• Individual Sized Snacks – crackers, breakfast bars, chips
• Baking Soda
• Canned Fruit (other than fruit cocktail)
• Gift cards for local grocery stores (So we can purchase what we don’t have when we need it)

Senior Services of Central Illinois

701 W. Mason St. • 217-528-4035 Senior Services of Central Illinois provides services to over 35,000 senior citizens across four counties each year. Our servic es include the Daily Bread program, transportation, volunteer coordination, information and assistance, elder abuse investigation, counseling and money management.

Our mission is to assist seniors in remaining independent and in their own homes for as long as possible.

Wish list:

• Grocery gift cards
• Small turkey or hams for holiday baskets
• Donate books for book sale – April 2012
• 44 cent, 29 cent or Forever stamps
• Volunteers to teach computer classes
• Volunteer driver for “Miss Daisy” (14-passenger mini-bus)
• Gas money for “Miss Daisy” • Paper plates, napkins
• Donate non-perishable food to our inhouse food pantry
• Unwrapped presents (gift items, toiletries etc.)
• Cash donations are always welcome

Tower of Refuge

329 S. New Street • 217-241-9911

Tower of Refuge is a grass-roots organization whose primary purpose is to reduce the rate of recidivism in the state of Illinois. It works in collaboration with a number of local and state organizations that assists in providing a continuum of reentry services to address the needs of individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated and their families through the vehicles of training, education, employment readiness, HIV/AIDS education/testing/ counseling, housing and medical assistance, toiletries, clothing, and counseling. Tower’s services and programs focus on improving the successful continuous rehabilitation of people who are or have been involved in the criminal justice system at the county, state, or federal level while often rebuilding and reconciling family relationships.

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