October 2011

Monthy Family Communication

Helping Hand Center in the News & Community Outreach

Helping Hand Center in the News

Check out our latest media coverage this past month. Helping Hand Center is getting some good visibility in the community!

Helping Hand Center announces Julie Hautamaki as its new Chief Clinical Officer

Tri for the Hand

Recently Board Member Kevin Chandler participated in an Iron Man Triathlon to benefit Helping Hand Center. To date, Kevin has raised over $4,000 for Helping Hand Center. Thank you Kevin - we hope you have recovered from this big event! This is just one example of "Building Your Own Fundraiser". You can generate funds to benefit Helping Hand Center on your own in a variety of creative ways. For more information please contact Director of Volunteers, Carolyn Kline at (708) 352-3580 ext. 280.

You can also check out our Volunteer Opportunities online!

Successful Donation Day

Thank you to all who participated in our 6th annual Donation Day on September 10th to make the event a huge success. Our goal was $5,000 and we surpassed it with over $6,500 - with $1,500 coming from sponsorships and $5,000 from the generosity of the public. This is fantastic; we are very excited about this outcome. In addition to the money, this was a wonderful day for many of our clients who participated. They loved being out in the community and being a part of the Helping Hand fundraising team.

Check out the article published in The Doings newspaper.

Family Association Picnic

Thank you to everyone who participated in this special event on Sunday. The rain did not stop us from having a great time, and the clients, as always, loved it! A special thank you to Phil Palmer for once again donating all the food. It was a great day for all.

New Sign

Have you noticed something new on our building in Countryside? Hard not to notice the BIG sign above the carport telling everyone the types of services being provided right in their community. We are hoping this will gain us more visibility - we are very proud of all the great work going on here at Helping Hand Center!

2012 Gala

Gala planning is moving along. Mark your calendars for March 10, 2012. Contact Carolyn Kline if you or someone you know may have auction items to donate and Lauren Narducci if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the event.

Volunteers for Helping Hand

There continues to be a great deal of work being done for Helping Hand Center by local volunteers.

Here are just a few this recent events:

UPS performed service projects in which over 30 volunteers in Countryside painted, put up drywall, and helped with some mailing work.

We are strengthening our relationship with St. John of the Cross, which provided over 30 enthusiastic and caring volunteers for the Family Picnic

We are also developing a relationship with DePaul University. DePaul students are volunteering weekly for our Special Recreation Program as part of their class curriculum.

The Eagle Scouts completed painting the Recreation Room at Countryside.

A Kiwanis volunteer group has completed training and will soon begin volunteer work with Helping Hand Center.

Helping Hand Center Program Updates

New CILA Home Opening

We are thrilled to announce the newest CILA home, located in the LaGrange Highlands, is due to open in November. Eight very excited clients will be moving in. So many wonderful people have worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. We cannot thank the eight clients as well as their families and friends enough for their patience and support!

Special Olympics

Basketball season is about to begin. The first game is November 1st. In addition, Special Olympics individual sports - bowling and bocce ball - are now being offered . Forty-seven clients are currently involved with Special Olympics and love it. And they are getting healthier and losing weight!

Adult Services Halloween Party

Clients are invited to participate on our Adult Service Halloween party on Friday, October 28th . It should be a fun time!

Flu shots

Walgreens will be giving flu shots for our residential clients and staff on October 26th. Information was already sent out to these groups. Please contact Helping Hand Center if you have any questions.

New SubCon Customer

Thanks to a connection with one of our clients and their family, as well as a great sales job by Charlie Ivers, SubCon has a new customer: Symons Forming Products. Symons is a supplier to the concrete road construction industry and makes products for various types of concrete foundations and forms. We will be counting and packing special fasteners and placing them into buckets and boxes.

Children Services - Parent Network Night Presentation

This Parent Network Night is being planned for November 17th. Staff member Beth Malouf is going to be talking about Music Therapy. Keep an eye out for further information.

Brookfield Zoo Tree Trimming

Children Services will once again decorate a holiday tree for the Brookfield Zoo Community Tree Trim. Staff, clients/students, and their families will be gathering to decorate it on Saturday, November 19th.

Family Support

Perspectives, a professional counseling and referrals resource, is still available to all Helping Hand Center families. Perspectives has been available to our staff as a human resources benefit and is now being expanded to our families. You can contact Perspectives at

800-456-6327 or visit them online at www.perspectivesltd.com

Donations and Grants

New Residential Home

Items, donations, and construction discounts for our new group home continue come in from various groups and individuals in the community. Helping Hand would like to recognize the following as well as others still working with us on future donations:

Please visit our website to view a list of our current donors.

Other Donations

Every day we receive donations to our organization. Thank you to all who give to Helping Hand Center - the support is wonderful and is needed as we continue our quality programs and services! The following individuals and organizations recently provided donations to Helping Hand Center:

Events

Helping Hand Center Appreciation Tea: (invitation only): Oct. 16th, Helping Hand Center
Helping Hand GALA: March 10th, 2012, Burr Ridge Marriott

Mary Beth Hepp
Helping Hand Center Executive Director