Northern Illinois Center for Autism
Mission: To integrate community and loved ones through education, awareness and medical interventions.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 847-658-5607, www.nicautism.org.
Service League of Crystal Lake
Mission: To help residents within our community who are in need of immediate aid.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-261-4590, www.slcrystallake.org.
It’s All About Kids
Mission: To help children with cancer and their families.
What is needed: Cash and hats, particularly sports hats. Hat drop-off locations: Nippersink Photography, 10302 N. Main St. in Richmond; and Renee's of Ridgefield Flower Shop, 8505 Ridgefield Rd. in Crystal Lake.
Contact: 815-482-1985, www.itsallaboutkids.info.
Turning Point
Mission: To confront violence against women and children in McHenry County.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-338-8081, www.mchenrycountyturningpoint.org.
Environmental Defenders of McHenry County
Mission: To preserve and improve the environment; and to build sound ecological relationships between people and the natural world that supports all life.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-338-0393, www.mcdef.org.
Hooved Animal Humane Society
Mission: To promote the humane treatment of hooved animals through education, legislation, investigation and, if necessary, legal intervention (impoundment).
What is needed: Cash, volunteers, members, sponsors and investigators.
Contact: 815-337-5563, www.hahs.org.
Faith in Action of McHenry County
Mission: To assist seniors (and their families) in maintaining their independence, dignity and quality of life.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers, gift certificates and office supplies.
Contact: 815-455-3120, www.fiamchenrycounty.org.
Tri-County Pregnancy and Parenting Services
Mission: To provide women and men with up-to-date information in order to make informed choices about pregnancy, sexual health and relationships.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-455-0965, www.informedchoices.org.
The Land Conservancy of McHenry County
Mission: To preserve scenic, natural and agricultural resources in McHenry County by working with private landowners, communities and developers.
What is needed: Cash, members and volunteers.
Contact: 815-337-9502, www.conservemc.org.
Family Health Partnership
Mission: To provide quality health care to the uninsured and underinsured residents of McHenry County.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers, partners and flower purchases (www.flowersforagreatcause.org).
Contact: 815-334-8987, www.hpclinic.org.
Home of the Sparrow
Mission: To offer a transitional shelter program providing housing and supportive services for homeless women and their children in McHenry County.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers and goods (see website).
Contact: 815-271-5444, www.h-o-s.org, www.justgive.org.
Adult and Child Rehabilitation Center
Mission: To provide the highest level of service to the physically challenged and disabled of every age, bringing hope and creating confidence to realize individual maximum levels of independence.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers, fundraisers and members.
Contact: 815-338-1707, www.adultchildrehabcenter.org.
Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA)
Mission: To enrich the lives of people through meaningful recreation experiences.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-459-0737, www.nisra.org.
Options & Advocacy for McHenry County
Mission: To enhance and protect the lives of children and adults with disabilities.
What is needed: Cash and flower purchases (www.mchenryflowers.com).
Contact: 815-477-4720, www.optionsandadvocacy.org.
Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program
Mission: To provide individualized equine-related therapeutic activities to people with physical, developmental, social and emotional disabilities.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers, board/committee members and fundraisers.
Contact: 815-653-9374 , www.mstrp.org.
Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois
Mission: To enhance life by providing dignified, compassionate care and guidance to those coping with loss and the end of life.
What is needed: Cash, volunteers and grants.
Contact: 847-381-5599, www.hospiceanswers.org.
Family Alliance
Mission: To enable seniors to remain at home by providing best-of-practice day programming, advocacy and counseling, while supplying respite, education, training and support to their caregivers.
What is needed: Cash, fundraisers and flower purchases (www.flowersforagreatcause.org).
Contact: 815-338-3590, www.familyallianceinc.org.
Girls on the Run McHenry of Northwest Illinois
Mission: To help girls climb out of the “girl box” using a 24-lesson curriculum designed to promote good choices for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-893-0259, www.mchenrycountygotr.org.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of McHenry County
Mission: To help children find safe, permanent homes where they can thrive.
What is needed: Cash, sponsorships, volunteers and office supplies.
Contact: 815-363-5920, www.casamchenrycounty.org.
R.E.A.C.H. a Child
Mission: To put smiles on the faces of children through the power of books.
What is needed: Cash, books and volunteers.
Contact: 815-236-9357, www.withwingsandahalo.org/illinois.html.
Animal Outreach Humane Society
Mission: To help McHenry County become a community where no adoptable or treatable animal or healthy feral cat is euthanized.
What is needed: Cash, pet foster parents, volunteers, wish list items (see website).
Contact: 815-385-0005, www.animaloutreachsociety.org.
Helping Paws
Mission: To improve the quality of life for the homeless, needy animals of the community through a number of services.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-338-4400, www.helpingpaws.net.
Helping Our Heroes
Mission: To raise money to help active duty Illinois military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers with residential-related expenses due to their financial distress.
What is needed: Care packages, clothing and sponsors.
Contact: 847-302-1395, www.helpingourheroes.org.
Loaves & Fishes
Mission: To provide food to those in need via a mobile food pantry.
What is needed: Cash and volunteers.
Contact: 815-575-4745
Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County
Mission: To build simple, decent and affordable houses for low-income families in McHenry County.
What is needed: Cash, sponsors and volunteers.
Contact: 815-759-9002, www.habitatmchenry.org.
Sidebar: Pioneer Empowers the Community Through Service
What began 53 years ago as a small group of parents who wanted a better life for their children with disabilities has become Pioneer Center for Human Services– the largest social service agency in McHenry County. Today, the organization offers the community seven unique areas of service.
“A lot of people know what we started as, but they don’t realize what we’ve become,” said Laurie Bivona, director of marketing. The Youth Service Bureau and Autism Services are the newest additions to the organization.
When people give to Pioneer Center, they are helping to provide direct services to more than 2,500 McHenry County residents in urgent need. “Nearly 92 cents of every dollar we receive goes directly toward services,” Bivona said. “That is an impressive number to operate at. We take stewardship of our supporter’s donations very seriously and want to be sure we funnel their desire to help directly back to our clients.”
And because we can all relate to at least one of its causes, donating to Pioneer Center is a way to help people who are going through challenges that have touched our lives in the past, present or perhaps might in the future. “Our programs are succeeding and changing people’s lives and perspectives–we’re breaking social stigmas and allowing people to dream a bigger life for themselves regardless of their challenge,” she added.
Take a closer look at the following important service areas that make up Pioneer Center –and see all of the great ways this organization makes a huge, positive difference in our community:
- Developmental Disabilities: Community employment services, residential services and developmental training, Stepping Out, Adult Recreation (SOAR), vocational services, residential homes, and case management.
- Mental Health: New Directions psychosocial rehabilitation program, community case management, mental health residential group homes and vocational evaluation.
- McHenry County PADS: Day center, transitional home, transportation, preventative services and emergency shelter services.
- VOICE Sexual Assault: Crisis intervention and emergency response to hospitals, legal advocacy and counseling.
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Case management, Headwinds support group and employment services.
- Youth Service Bureau (NEW!): Prevention programs, case management, outpatient counseling and delinquency intervention.
- Autism Services (NEW!): Social Communications Pathways in collaboration with SEDOM and MCC and autism resources.
Mission: To work with children and adults to explore opportunities for personal accomplishment through education, and vocational and community participation.
Vision: To empower individuals to achieve their full potential.
What is needed: Cash, wish list items and volunteers year-round. Visit the website for a number of upcoming events and opportunities to help.
Contact: Barb Swanson at 815-759-7144 or www.pioneercenter.org.
