Community wish lists

Holiday help for nonprofits

If you’re like most Illinois Times readers, your life is safe and secure and the holidays are a time for family fun and delicious meals. Sadly that isn’t the case for everyone in our community. Many won’t have packages to open or a festive celebration to look forward to. Thousands around the area count on help from a nonprofit organization just to have the most basic comforts in life.

Below are several of nearly 20 holiday wish lists IT has assembled from local nonprofit organizations. These groups need your help all year round but they are especially eager for help during the holidays. Look for this feature each week during the holiday season; we’ll publish as many wish lists as space permits in print each week, but a complete listing of wish lists is available online at www.illinoistimes.com. If you represent a nonprofit organization that has not yet submitted a wish list, please send email to swhalen@ illinoistimes.com or call 622-6700 for details.

Central Illinois Foodbank

2000 E. Moffat Avenue, 522-6418 www.centralilfoodbank.org Contact: Kaleigh Friend, kfriend@ centralilfoodbank.org

The purpose of Central Illinois Foodbank is to collect donated food and grocery items from growers, manufacturers, processors, distributors and retailers for distribution to charitable agencies serving people in need. The Foodbank, established in 1982 by a coalition of churches, distributes more than 8.5 million pounds of food annually to about 150 food pantries, soup kitchens, residential programs and after-school programs in a 21-county region. Central Illinois Foodbank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, and is a United Way certified agency.

Wish list:

• Canned vegetables

• Canned fruit

• Ham/turkey

• Boxed mashed potatoes

• Stuffing mix

• Peanut butter

• Canned chili

• Canned beef stew

• Hygiene products

Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault

3 W. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 206, 744-2560 www.prairiecasa.org. Catherine Walters, executive director Shelley Vaughn, assistant director development@prairiecasa.org

Our work began in 1975, when a dedicated cadre of Springfield women organized to create a rape crisis center. They established a grass-roots organization with 24-hour crisis hotline and named it The Rape Information and Counseling Service (RICS), now known as the Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault. Now celebrating 37 years of service, Prairie Center is the third largest rape crisis center in Illinois, serving 11 counties with offices in both Springfield and Jacksonville. The center has 12 staff members and 30 volunteer crisis workers.

Our mission today is the same as it was in 1975: to alleviate the suffering of sexual assault victims, prevent sexual violence and promote social justice for women and children. Prairie Center provides emergency room response, legal advocacy and counseling for sexual assault survivors. We advocate for victim rights in the law enforcement and criminal justice systems. Our school-based prevention education programs focus on reducing the likelihood of sexual victimization, particularly in the lives of children and adolescents.

Wish list:

• Angels or inspirational stones/trinket items that clients can hold in their hand while testifying in court

• Personal care services – massage, haircut, manicures, yoga, etc.

• Gift cards – coffee shop, restaurants, book stores, gas, etc.

• Clothing for survivors to wear home from the E.R, specifically – new non-logo adult and youth shirts, sweatshirts, sweat pants, and shorts in neutral colors (grey, black, tan, white) in all sizes. New flip flops (sandals) in all sizes. New women’s, girls’ and boys’ underwear in neutral colors (grey, black, tan, white) in all sizes.

• Bus tokens/passes and taxi vouchers

• Crisis accommodations – Hotel gift certificates and/or vouchers to provide a short-term safe place for victims of sexual assault.

• Sponsors for 2013 Walk a Mile In Her Shoes event scheduled for April 20, 2013.

• Raffle items – gift certificates, electronic items, gift baskets, etc.

Historic Grace Lutheran Church Food Pantry

714 E. Capitol Ave. 217 / 522-3965 www.gracelutheran-springfield.com/ Pastor Tom Christell

Historic Grace Lutheran Church Food Pantry has operated in downtown Springfield since the late 1960s. Historic Grace’s goal is to provide the best nutritional food for families and individuals in need. The economy has created more need than ever before; we’re grateful for the community’s support with cash donations and / or non-perishable food items which go directly to our clients. The pantry is supported by many congregations across Springfield and is volunteer-run.

Our wish list is primarily non-perishable food:

• Soup • Vegetables, fruits

• Dried beans • Canned meats of all kinds

• Cereal

• Ramen noodles

• Peanut butter, jelly

• Pancake mix and syrup

• Cake mixes and frosting

• Spaghetti sauces

• Pasta, rice

• Instant potatoes and stuffing

• Macaroni and cheese

• Bar soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper

Illinois Humane

P.O. Box 512 Springfield, IL 62705 Doug Mayol, thecardologist@att.net

Illinois Humane (www.illinoishumane. org) relies on foster homes and paid kennel space to house homeless, rescued, sick or inneed animals until they can be adopted. IH’s costs are mainly for food and medical needs of the animals. The group does not have a kennel facility – and thus no storage space is available for donated supplies.

Animals in need are featured on our website. There is a link on the site to donate money as well as a link to purchase t-shirts and other merchandise that aids in our support of the animals.

Wish list: • Foster homes to house animals in need

• Monetary donations to defray the medical costs

• Gift cards for grocery/pet/farm stores to help with the cost of feeding

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois

610 N. 7th Street, Springfield 217-528-3314 www.rmhc-centralillinois.org www.facebook.com/rmhcci Contact: Megan Mueller, development and communications coordinator

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois (RMHCCI) exists to provide a supportive home away from home for families with children receiving medical care in Springfield. Located in the heart of Springfield’s medical community, 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. Donations are accepted daily from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m.

Wish list:

• Volunteers! Please visit our website or call the House for more information

• Converter boxes and antennas for TVs

• Queen sheets (bleachable, white)

• Queen-sized zippered pillow protectors

• AAA, AA, C, & D batteries

• Postage stamps

• Slipper socks

• Long bathrobes

• Gallon size Ziploc bags

• Certificates for haircuts, manicures for guests

• Ingredients for baking: butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate chips