A Helping Hand: Lee County charity receives $3,000 donation

DIXON — Goodfellows of Lee County was presented a $3,000 donation Thursday morning to aid the charity in providing assistance to families during the holiday season.

Great Plains Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust and Laborers Local 727 generated the money for the donation by collecting $0.02 per hour that Local 727 laborers worked. Goodfellows plans to use the money to purchase winter coats, snowpants, hats, gloves, scarves, clothing, socks and underwear; all of which are the items that a family will receive if they sign up for the organization’s Christmas program, President Clara Harris said in an interview with Shaw Local.

Ever since Goodfellows was established 112 years ago, the nonprofit has become most known for the annual program that helps hundreds of Lee County families during the holiday season with gifts and food vouchers, according to Harris.

In 2023, “we did 240 some families. There was about 1,700 people that got help. That was a big year,” she said.

Earlier in 2024, the unions also supported the Goodfellows program by donating items collected during its annual coat and toy drives, Great Plains Executive Director Dane Simpson said in an interview with Shaw Local.

“We’re proud to partner with Goodfellows and Great Plains LECET in helping make sure no one is forgotten during the holidays. This is what community is all about – coming together to support one another,” Laborers Local 727 Business Manager Jamie Lawson said in a joint news release from the two unions.

At various store locations throughout the county, Goodfellows will set up barrels and trees with tags on them detailing what is needed. For example, a tag could list the age of the recipient, the shirt and pants sizes and two or three ideas of toys or things that the parent has said would be a wish list item, Harris said.

Then anybody who’s interested in helping would take that tag, purchase the items, place them in a bag with the tag and drop it into the barrel. Goodfellows goes around each week to collect the items in the barrels.

Other area nonprofits and churches will shop for the families as well, Harris said.

“I always tell people, we are blessed in Lee County. We have so many awesome people that want to make sure that these children and families have a good Christmas,” Harris said. “All the stuff that will be given to these families is done because of the giving hearts of people in Lee County.”

To participate in the program, an application must be filled out and turned in by the final deadline of Dec. 1. Exceptions will be made for those who “moved quickly into town” or if “it’s a domestic issue or something like that,” Harris said.

“We don’t ever want someone that’s gone through something like that to feel that they can’t come to us,” she said.

All applications must include copies of all income for 30 days, including pay stubs, food stamps, disability, child support and pension amounts. It also includes information about all the individuals living in the home, proof of residence, their ages, clothing sizes, gift wish lists, nationality and more.

“We have to keep track of that because we do get sponsorship from United Way and a couple of other places. Those agencies ask for all those numbers at the end of the giveaway because they want to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of all members of the community,” Harris said. “We give from birth all the way up. Our oldest clients were 91 and 92, ironically, in the same year.”

Applications went out Sept. 1 and the first deadline was Oct. 31.

Those early approved applicants are guaranteed to receive either a food voucher or a food basket from the Illinois Department of Transportation District 2 office in Dixon. The vouchers are eligible for use at Oliver’s Corner Market in Dixon or Amboy Food and Liquor. The vouchers are not redeemable for purchases of alcohol or cigarettes.

They’re also guaranteed a chance for their children to be selected for Shop with a Cop, Shop with a Sheriff or another agency or church.

Applications can be found on the Goodfellows Facebook page and at their Dixon office at 704 S. Lincoln Ave. They’re also available at various locations in Lee County, including the Lee County Council on Aging office in Dixon, the adult and children’s level of the Dixon Public Library, the Franklin Grove Public Library and township office, the Ashton Public Library and township office, and all schools within Lee County.

For an application, to donate or to volunteer with Goodfellows of Lee County, call 815-973-5135.