Holiday Volunteers

Wow! The holiday spirit is alive and well in Uptown. A reader directed us to an article in the Sun-Times that tells us that Inspiration Corporation and REST are inundated with volunteers who want to work there on the holidays. Another suggestion from the article:

If you plan to volunteer, consider something that doesn't involve serving meals to the less-fortunate, such as donating gift cards, organizing a food drive or mentoring. Also, consider donating your time in the summer, when a lot of volunteers are traveling or dealing with out-of-school kids, experts say.

On that note, Inspiration Corporation can certain use your help:

We are doing things a little different this year because the number of clients needing gifts has grown. This year we are getting all participants who RSVP to attend the party a $20 gift card to any of the following locations: Target, CVS, Walgreens, Dominick’s or Jewel-Osco. We are still in need of about 173 gift cards, and we have 400 people to provide for! Please let me know if you are able to help with any amount of these gifts.

Or follow the lead of Uptown's Secret Santa and hand out gifts anonymously to those "demonstrating the spirit of Christmas within the Uptown community."

And don't forget, the 20th Police District is still collecting toys and non-perishable food for its Annual Christmas Party, bringing kids, the cops and the community together - on December 16th.