Salvation Army Begins Taking Applications for the Angel Giving Tree Program

The Salvation Army began taking applications for those wishing to be placed on the Angel Giving Tree beginning November 2^nd and will continue to take applications through the 6^th. Interested persons can apply by filling out an application and bringing the following items:

• Photo ID
• Proof of any income from people 18 years and older
• Birth certificate for any kids under the age of 12

Applications will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. until noon and 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily until November 6^th at the Elgin Corps Community Center located at 316 Douglas Avenue in Elgin.

The Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree is a program that allows people to provide children and seniors in need with holiday gifts. This year, there is also an online Angel Giving Tree program presented by JCPenney. This program allows people across the country to adopt Angels from a local community through a website at jcp.com/angel. After an Angel is chosen, an email is sent containing all of the necessary details to help the Angel. This will include the list of needs and wants and information regarding where to ship or deliver the gifts to local Salvation Army destinations. For more information, visit the website.

Ecker Center’s Festival of Trees is at Gail Borden

Ready for the holidays to begin? The 9th annual Festival of Trees will be on display at the Gail Borden Public Library from November 2-14 to benefit the Ecker Center for Mental Health. (We have a health impact program with the Ecker Center that provides Therapy Services to adults with mental illness and their families.) The Festival of Trees is part of the “Elgin: Home for the Holidays” series of events. A ribbon cutting event will take place to launch the event on Monday, November 2, from 5-7pm.

The elegant Gala event and Auction will be on November 14 at 6pm at Gail Borden. It includes fine dining, signature drinks, fun entertainment, and contests and raffle prizes. Reservations are required. For more infomration, contact Cheryl Chalk, Amcore Bank, Chairperson 847-622-4259 or visit their website.

Halloween Hours and Tips for a Spooktacularly Safe Time

Happy Halloween! We’d like everyone to have a safe and happy time this Halloween weekend. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe:

• Limit your child’s Trick or Treating to Saturday during the hours set by your town.
• Young children should be accompanied by their parents or another responsible adult.
• One member of each group should carry a lighted flashlight.
• Make sure costumes do not limit mobility and have no visible obstructions.
• Children should be dressed in light-colored costumes.
• Always walk on the sidewalk and cross the street at intersections.
• Bring candy and goodies home before eating any of them.
• All parents are urged to check all treats with extra caution.
• Close and lock your car and garage doors to reduce theft and vandalism opportunities.

If you plan to welcome children to Trick or Treat, keep a porch light and exterior lights on during Trick or Treating hours. Serve only wrapped candy.

Also, motorists should be especially observant and watch for children who might not always be alert enough to be looking for cars.

Trick Or Treating Hours are as follows:

Burlington: 4-7PM

Carpentersville: 3-7PM

Elgin: 3-7PM

Gilberts: 4-8PM

Hampshire: 3-8PM

Pingree Grove: 3-7PM

St. Charles: 3-7PM

South Elgin: 3-7PM

West Dundee: 2-7PM

Also, if you’d like to use the holiday as an opportunity to help out a local nonprofit, PADS of Elgin is holding a “Treak or Treat for PADS” drive for items to help them prepare for upcoming cold months where the shelter will be in high demand. Donations can be dropped off at PADS, 1730 Berkley St. in Elgin. Call 847-608-9744 for more info. They are collecting the following items:

Tricky Toilet Paper
8 oz. Foam Coffee Cups
Spooky Sugar Free Cereal
Creepy Coffee
Powdered Creamer
Coffee Stirrers
Freaky Foam Cereal Bowls
Small foam or paper plates
Napkins
Scary Sugar Packets
Batty Bulk Sugar
Kool-aid packets
Liquid Laundry Soap
Adult Hunch-Backpacks
Deodorant
Mens Sneaky Sneakers, Sizes 9-12
Mens New or Used Coveralls

Get a free voucher for online computer training

We’ve written in the past about unemployment being high, especially in the Elgin area. At times like these when job-hunting is difficult because of increased competition, it’s the perfect time to boost your skills. And in this computer and technology age, proficiency in basic computer programs is a must.

If you’re looking to boost your computer skills, look into Elevate America, a major public-private partnership between Microsoft and the State of Illinois to provide up to 51,000 vouchers to Illinoisans for free online technology training. Online courses available using Elevate America vouchers include intermediate level Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Office 2007 training, and advanced-level training for technical professionals.

You can apply for a voucher through Illinois workNet. You will have to sign up for an Illinois workNet account and complete a computer skills self-survey. You will be assigned vouchers based on  your skill level and job goals.

Vouchers are for coursework for Microsoft Office business tools like Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access; or advanced technology courses like Windows server, SQL server and Visual Studio. The coursework is all online so it can be taken at the user’s convenience over the period of one year.

The deadline is October 31 to apply for vouchers, so if you’re interested, visit Illinois workNet today.

If you are out of the job, download our Hard Times Guide for financial tips and lists of agencies who may be able to help you.

Demand still high at local nonprofit agencies

Recently, the Courier News has run a few articles focusing on some of the agencies we at United Way of Elgin support. Both articles center around the increased demand that started last year and currently remains just as high. With the economy just starting to turn, it seems it will be a while before these service agencies can start to balance out and return to more “normal” levels, or at least pre-recession levels.

Some highlighted facts from the articles:

• PADS provides meals and emergency housing for an average 40 to 55 Elgin area men, women and children each night.
• The fastest growing segment of shelter users at PADS is children.
• The homeless liaison at U46 has worked with 250 students this year, which is 110 more than last year, and last year’s numbers included flood victims—this year there have been no such natural disaster causes.
• 60 percent of the adults that PADS assists are “working poor”– men and women who, when at the shelter, get up early, help clean and then go to their jobs
• From January through July, the Crisis Center handed out more food than it did in the previous 12 months.
• The crisis center shelters about 40 women and children a night, with the average stay about 15 days per guest.
• 35-45 families a week get food from Two Rivers Head Start
• The Salvation Army recently experienced its largest-ever number for requests in a single day, 172, and had to turn 4-5 families away.
• The Salvation Army and other agencies are working toward the possibility of opening a food warehouse specifically to supply Elgin and South Elgin pantries.

The full articles can be read here:

Season of Need, A challenging winter ahead for agencies that help the homeless

Pantries Brace for Shortage of Food

If you’d like to help, a few volunteer opportunities are listed below. Click the link to sign up or find out more information:

Food Sorting and Distribution, Salvation Army, every Thursday and Friday to sort, pack and deliver food to needy families.

Reruns too, Resale Shop, Community Crisis Center, accept donations, assist customers, and organize merchandise.

Lobby Assistant, Community Crisis Center, Assist mornings in the lobby by greeting guests, filling food bags, handing out coats, hats, gloves and diapers. Providing a much needed smile!

Volunteer at an Emergency Shelter, PADS of Elgin, Distribute linens and food, help check guests, and assist in other shelter activities.

Vote for the Story You Think Should Be Featured in United Way National Brand Advertising

The votes are in, and we’re pleased to announce the finalists in the LIVE UNITED Story Search, our national search for authentic, moving stories of how people are living united. Now you get to decide which of these great stories will be featured in United Way’s brand advertising in 2010.

The finalists are: Caitlin, a young woman who works with disadvantaged high school students to help inspire them to finish high school and go on to college, and to give back through volunteering; Shannon, a man who lost his parents as a teen and now acts as a mentor for a nine-year old boy; Tom and Cindy, a retired couple who work at a free clinic to help provide care for uninsured clients; Duane, a 29-year old man who acts as a mentor for teen boys as they transition to adulthood; and Ruth, a 90-year old former teacher who shares her love of reading with parents and their young children.

The story that receives the most votes by 11:59 p.m. ET on tomorrow, October 16, will be the winner, so visit  www.liveunited.tv to vote for your favorite.