Check Out Our Newest Nonprofit: Giving Rocks Foundation

Giving Rocks Foundation is unique among our nonprofit partners because it was founded by a 10-year-old girl named Syd Martin, who started making and selling necklaces from beautiful Lake Michigan rocks to raise money for research into a cure for LCH, a rare form of pediatric cancer that she was fighting at the time. She’s 20 now, and her “Syd Rocks” project has grown into a vibrant foundation dedicated to curing all kinds of pediatric cancers.

Find out more about Giving Rocks Foundation  — or buy a beautiful necklace to support their important work — by clicking here.

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Thanks to Everyone in the Community Who Turned Out to Support This Year’s MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

Cars lined up all morning in Winnetka to drop off everything from diapers to dog food, bikes to blankets, and sportswear to school supplies for 15 outstanding nonprofits. Families, schools and community groups from all over Chicago’s North Shore came together to support our 16th annual Make A Difference Day — and our nonprofits left with truckloads of donations they desperately needed. Make a Difference Day always makes a difference!
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Our Biggest Make A Difference Day Ever!

The Volunteer Center would like to thank the volunteers and donors that helped make this year’s Make A Difference Day a smashing success even during this challenging time — with a special shout-out to our amazing partners Highcrest Middle School and Wilmette Junior High PTOs. Individuals, families and community groups turned out with trunks full of donations for 15 local nonprofits working on the front lines to help people (and animals!) in need. Hard-working volunteers and generous donors adjusted seamlessly to the safe, socially-distanced, no contact drop-off process — and a new location — donating everything from winter coats to prom dresses, school supplies to sporting goods, textbooks to toiletries. Continue reading for more details. See you next year!

Thanks to everyone who helped make Make-A-Difference Day 2014 our most successful ever!
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Thanks to everyone who helped make Make-A-Difference Day 2014 our most successful ever!

Over 19,000 items were collected for 17 nonprofits, thanks to record-breaking donations, abundant volunteers and a beautiful Fall day. We are grateful to all of the families and groups who donated by the vanload — especially Highcrest Middle School in Wilmette, Crow Island School in Winnetka and the New Trier High School baseball teams. A great community event in every way!
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THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING LIVES ON, IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC

Our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration looked a little different this year, but the Volunteer Center still found ways to honor his enduring legacy of social justice and service by sponsoring 2 Covid-safe community initiatives. First, we were proud to partner with HEROS (Healing Everyday Racism in the Schools) to engage the community in a thought-provoking MLK LEGACY Workshop that focused on Dr. King’s 1965 speech in Winnetka and the concrete steps we can take locally to create Dr. King’s “Beloved Community”. Then, in keeping with our tradition of engaging in service on MLK Day, the VC also invited volunteers from the community to participate in our signature DIY no-sew fleece blanket donation program for homeless shelters and refugees. Instead of working side by side, families made 50+ blankets remotely during MLK “Week” that were distributed to local nonprofits. Continue Reading for more details about these 2 meaningful community events.