Donations

Megan Millen, Joliet Public Library executive director, said the renovation of the 20-year-old Black Road branch was part of the library’s strategic planning process, as was the renovation of the Ottawa Street branch.

A benefit is planned for July 12, 2025, to assist Jeremy Hunter and his family. Hunter suffered a severe stroke May 20, 2025, and recently returned home after several weeks of intense physical, occupational, speech and vision therapy at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.

The annual Dr. H.K. Sutton Bridge Walk drew a strong turnout June 28 during Marseilles Fun Days, honoring the late physician’s legacy of community care.

The McHenry County Department of Health, in partnership with the Lake County Health Department, is proud to share the results of the sixth annual Operation Dropbox donation drive.

Donation is 100% of the proceeds received at the Evangelical Free Church of Mt. Morris' food concession on June 13.

CITGO’s Lemont Refinery donated funds to the Will County Sheriff’s Office that will go to support the department’s K-9 Unit.

Lockport Township will host a community garage sale event on July 12 to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. Donations are currently being accepted beginning Saturday at Homer Glen location.

The long-vacant Cigna property in Bourbonnais has been gifted to Riverside Healthcare.

Angie Aegerter is the owner of the Fit Foundation in Crest Hill, a meal prep company with more than 100 “clean eating” recipes in rotation, along with healthy deli-style choices.

Organizers hope to gather enough school supplies Saturday, June 21, to assist 1,500 students in Ogle, Lee and Whiteside counties.

Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact program has received a $25,000 gift from Dixon Rotary, which will help provide Dixon High School students with access to the Impact program.

Donations of backpacks and school supplies are needed for the second “Healing the Hood” event on Aug. 2 in Joliet.

The downtown Kankakee Salvation Army is overwhelmed by a cash shortage and is having greater troubles serving those in need.

Paula Lillard is donating $1.02 million to the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves.

Anthony Pens, 27, and Alyssa Pens, 15 of Coal City both have heredity spastic paraplegia type 35, a disease is so rare that only 51 people in 19 families are documented in medical literature.

People in the community can bring their itemized or monetary donations to either Culver’s of Dixon to support PADS Homeless Shelter or Culver’s of Rock Falls to support TwinCities Homeless Shelter.

The Holly Club of Joliet will host its final fundraiser on June 10. The club typically donated $40,000 to organizations in the community.

Beginning June 4, all children and teens can enjoy free meals in Lee County when school is out. This year, United Way will provide nutritious meals to kids and teens 18 and younger.

Dixon YMCA CEO says the situation is partly due to economic factors, but also reflects shifts in how people give to charities. He said the change is influenced by uncertainty surrounding federal government actions, funding availability and limited access to government grants.

The Salvation Army of Kankakee is requesting donations for its Summer Fundraiser event, running through July.

Running from May 28 through Aug. 6, United Way will provide grab-and-go lunches to children and teens at 17 locations across the county, ensuring children have access to meals during the school break. 

100+ Women Who Care of Will County has made their last big check presentation of their 2024-2025 giving year, presenting over $9,000 to Legacy Ranch in Lockport.

Emily Heckman of Sterling is actively working to reduce the local feral cat population by trapping the animals, covering the cost of spaying or neutering them, and then either releasing them or finding them new homes.

The Imagination Library of Will County has received a $25,000 donation from an Elwood-based company to help fund the free book-gifting program for Will County communities.

The JTHS 24th Annual Brent Wadsworth Alumni Golf Outing benefits students and staff at District 204 in Joliet.

Both drives will run from May 1 to 31. Community members can support the initiatives by dropping off food or cleaning supplies at the Dixon Park District, Dixon YMCA, Lee County Health Department, Mount Carroll Farm Bureau, Save-A-Lot in Rock Falls, and the Dixon City Market.

The Velocity Youth Group from Sterling’s Abiding Word Church has partnered with Culver’s of Rock Falls, 1901 Harley Davidson Drive, to host a Share Night fundraiser event from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 29.

The Dixon: Historic Theatre received a $100,000 anonymous donation, according to a theater board announcement Thursday, April 24.

The Lake County Clerk’s Office is proud to partner with A Safe Place for a Community Donation Drive running through April 30.

The Hope United Methodist Church men’s club hosts a free breakfast on Saturday and the club's president Larry Wilkinson invites the community to come out.

The Midland States Bank Foundation has committed to providing $25,000 over the next two years to help offset construction, furnishing and equipment costs associated with the construction of the Dixon Family YMCA’s new Lovett Child Development Center, which opened in January.

Robes and Sneakers campaign collects funds for cancer research.

This is the second such project Morningside has put together, the first benefitting the Rock Falls Police Department.

For the first time, Operation Dropbox is expanding to include Lake County through a partnership with the Lake County Health Department.

For the third year, the Bess Bower Dunn Museum in Libertyville is holding a food drive during spring break. Visitors will receive free admission with the donation of at least one nonperishable food item or toiletry per person.

In 2023, the City Council approved donating an out-of-service firetruck.

The Kiwanis Club of Sterling purchased nearly $8,000 worth of coats thanks to local donors during its signature project, the 2024 Coats for Kids drive.

The fourth annual trivia night hosted by the Amboy FFA Alumni comes to the Amboy Community Building on March 1. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m.

RNA Prophetstown Adult Chapter 516 will match up to $1,000 of the profits off the silent and live auction to be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 22, in the Reagan Community Center, 202 W. Second St., Tampico. 

The recently-formed Georgie's Closet seeks to provide foster children and their foster families with the items they most need when the call comes. After rapid growth thanks to community support, the group is now seeking a public location to host the resource.

The money will help pay for several of the CGH Health Foundation’s initiatives, including free mammograms, special support items and meals for oncology patients.

For Dixon’s St. Paul and Immanuel Lutheran churches, February is all about “kids helping kids. The youth ministry will hold a spaghetti bake dinner at St. Paul Church, 421 Peoria Ave. in Dixon, from 4-7 p.m. Feb. 21. Half the proceeds will go to Dixon schools' lunch debt.

Buddy Bags of Dixon is hosting a fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Jersey Mike’s Subs, 1677 S. Galena Ave. in Dixon, where 20% of all sales will benefit Dixon Public School students.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the United Way of Ogle County, helping to fund programs and services that make a difference in the lives of local families and individuals.

The Tampico First United Methodist Church Men will have their annual chili supper from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 29. 

A series of destructive wildfires have affected large portions of southern California this year and those affected by the fires have been in need of help

Joliet Public Schools District 86 recognized its fourth grade students for leading a sock drive benefitting MorningStar Mission.

Dixon County Market customers bought bags, filled with stable food items, for $6.99. Those bags were then donated to the pantry along with the money collected.

Every dollar donated to Herald Angels supports the initiatives of United Way of Will County community partners.The total donations for the 2024 holiday season exceeded $20,000.

The Salvation Army is a global Christian non-profit providing social services, disaster relief and community support programs, services and initiatives.