donors and volunteers
Helping Communities Stay Connected
Mercy Housing Lakefront is grateful for the many partners who assisted residents during one of the most challenging years in recent history. In 2020, individuals and organizations generously contributed their time and resources, responding on short notice to address residents’ needs amid a quickly-changing landscape. While it wasn’t possible to capture everyone who helped out, the following highlights the many ways in which volunteers and donors helped provide residents with solace during difficult times. Mercy Housing Lakefront deeply appreciates all that you have done to help residents live in hope. You can see the full list of supporters here.
Emergency Support
Mercy Housing Lakefront is grateful for emergency help from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s MKE Responds Fund, The John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation, the Alvin H. Baum Family Fund, TCF Foundation, and many other generous individuals and organizations who provided food, short-term rental assistance, technology, cleaning supplies, and PPE to keep residents healthy and safe through the pandemic.
AARP Foundation provided more than 125 tablets, with internet access, to 13 senior communities. Thanks also to U.S. Bank, Vermilion Healthcare Foundation, Higher Path Foundation, and many generous individual donors, for helping us to increase residents’ access to technology.
The American Red Cross helped over 20 residents when they were displaced due to a fire at Pullman Wheelworks, finding emergency shelter for every resident on short notice. Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and Chicago Furniture Bank also helped to address residents’ essential needs.
Food Relief
Northern Illinois Food Bank created pop-up food markets to support family and senior residents in the Chicagoland area. Matt Hickey, a civic leader in Lake County, IL, provided volunteer coordination assistance for the Grayslake event.
Walmart Foundation, the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin, Jennaro Brothers, and Friends of St. Catherine Residence partnered to give packaged meals and fresh produce to residents of St. Catherine Residence.
Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, with funding from SC Johnson, provided weekly meals to residents at Pullman Wheelworks. Youth helped by distributing the meals
to fellow residents.
The Moline Police Department donated boxes of food to senior residents at Sanders Apartments in Moline, IL. Officer Biggs, who oversees elderly welfare, organized these efforts.
African American Men of Unity, Aurora Township, and the Aurora Police Department joined forces to provide residents with delicious food boxes at Constitution House in Aurora, IL.
American Association of Retired Persons, Gleaners Food Bank, and Southeast Community Services Center donated items to the food pantry at Spruce Manor Apartments in Indianapolis.
Communities Coming Together
Melinda Kintz, the 2020 recipient of MHL’s Volunteer Service Award at Moving Forward Together, answered a call for help by coordinating food and supply drives, as well as making and distributing face masks, for residents in Batavia, IL.
Each year, Mahalia and Myracle, who live at LaSalle Manor, complete a community project during National Volunteer Week. Despite the pandemic and restrictions, the mother and daughter painted a picnic table that will be used by their fellow residents.
Senior residents at Colony Park Apartments in Carol Stream, IL, enjoyed an outdoor, socially-distanced jazz concert featuring a trio from the DuPage Symphony Orchestra.
The Rotary Club of Chicago-O’Hare donated care packages to Miriam Apartments residents to make them feel at home when they moved back in, following renovations.
Community members from Chicago’s Ukrainian Village donated colored pencils and other art supplies to the Carlton and Malden Arms Apartments.
Support from KABOOM!, the Edward & Minnie Ceragioli Fund of the DuPage Foundation, Northwestern Medicine, and USG gave children at Marian Park Apartments in Wheaton, IL, new playground equipment.