Humanitarian Service Project

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How You Can Help

We are committed to having the support we receive at Humanitarian Service Project be a meaningful and empowering experience for individuals, families, groups, clubs, schools and churches representing all ages and backgrounds.

Click on any of the ideas below to learn more:

"Adopt" a Needy Senior
 
Oprah's Angel Network
 
"Adopt" a Needy Child
 
Become a Senior's Secret Pal
 
Help at the Christmas Offering 
 
Hold a Party in HSP's Honor
 
Become a Delivery Day Driver
 
Help with A Senior's Wish List
 
Provide an Endowment
 
Walkway of Service
 
Food Drive for Seniors and Feed the Kids
 
Become a General Donor
 
Conduct a Toy or Book Drive
 
Wrap Children's Birthday Gifts
 
Bag Non-Perishable Foods
 
Miscellaneous Volunteer
 
Become an HSP Speaker
 
Hold Fundraiser in HSP's Honor
 
Assemble Birthday Boxes
 
Back-to-School Survival Kits
 
Assemble Senior Care Kits
 
Help at Christmas Boxing Party
 
Assemble Christmas Boxes
 
Deliver Holiday Meals to Seniors
Conduct a Personal Care Drive
 
Collect Empty Ink Cartridges
 
Help with Food Sorting
 
Deliver Groceries to Families
 
Organize Secret Pal Gifts Donald Zolan Lithographs
Christmas Offering
Senior Citizen Project
Children's Birthday Project
Feed the Kids
School Opportunities
Corporate Opportunities
What's New
How You Can Help

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Senior Updates
Contact Us
Adopt a Needy Child

Individuals, families, clubs and groups can "adopt" a needy child for just $48 per year.  Many businesses, clubs and organizations adopt groups of children ... for example, 10 children for $480 per year.  When you adopt a child, that young person becomes part of our Children's Birthday Project which provides him or her with birthday and Christmas packages until the child turns thirteen.  Each year, you will know that on their birthday your adopted child has received:

  • Four new educational books
  • Three new toys and a game
  • Several Filler Gifts
  • Stuffed Animals
  • School Supplies
  • Party In A Box
  • Christmas gifts from their wish list
  • The knowledge that someone cares and believes they are special

 


Each child receives a fun stuffed animal

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Adopt a Needy Senior


Boxes of fresh produce for all our 115 seniors

Individuals, families, clubs and groups can "adopt" a needy senior citizen.  There are several options for "full" or "co-" sponsorship of a senior.  A full senior sponsorship is $780 per year.  A "co-sponsorship" is $390 per year.  Any type of sponsorship can be paid for on an annual, bi-annual or monthly basis.  

When you adopt a senior citizen, we welcome one of DuPage and Kane's neediest elderly into our Senior Citizen Project for the rest of their life (or until their living circumstances change such that they no longer require our service).  One of our seniors has been in our program now for over 13 years! From that point on we will lovingly deliver nutritious food, household products and personal care items to their home each month.  They are eligible to receive a "secret pal" who will provide them with small gifts on a regular basis.  They will have a place to call with desperate needs ... such as the need for new teeth, hearing aids, glasses, furniture, and blankets.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Become an HSP Speaker
If you enjoy public speaking on behalf of great causes ... we need you on our speakers team!  We are fortunate to have the support of many local clubs, groups, schools, churches and businesses.  We like to "stay connected" with them by sending HSP speakers to their club meetings on a regular basis.  Further, we enjoy sending speakers to talk with groups that we haven't had a chance to work with to tell them all about what the HSP does.


Speakers Team Meeting

If you are interested in joining our speakers team, contact us by via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.  To get you started, you'll be invited to our office in Carol Stream for a tour and tell you more.  Then, we'll partner you with one of our "seasoned" speakers so that you can experience what an HSP talk is like.  After that, we'll keep you on our list of speakers and will call you when speaking opportunities are available. We have a dinner celebration each year for all our speakers.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP. 

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Become a Delivery Day or Substitute driver

One Saturday each month we deliver food and care packages to the 115 senior citizens that we support.  This would not be possible if it weren't for the wonderful drivers who contribute a portion of their Saturday to the cause of feeding the needy.  On Delivery Day the drivers pick up boxes and bags of food at our center in Carol Stream and joyfully deliver them to the seniors.  Many of our drivers have established wonderful relationships with the seniors on their routes and look forward to delivery day as a chance to visit with the seniors.  The seniors really look forward to the company, too! 

 

If you are interested in becoming a driver - or in substituting when drivers are unable to help on delivery day, please send us email by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below. 

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Conduct a Food Drive for Seniors and Feed the Kids

Food drives are critical to the success of our Senior Citizen's Project and our Feed the Kids project.  If it weren't for all of the wonderful non-perishable food that we receive through drives, we'd have to buy so much more of it - which would limit our ability to provide fresh produce and frozen meat and serve as many seniors and families. Click here for suggestions.

Food drives are ideal for school, business and church groups who have access to many people on a regular basis.  If you are interested in conducting a food drive, please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.  We will respond by sending you information (if needed) on how food drives can be conducted and will plan food drive logistics with you.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Conduct a Toy / Book Drive

New Toy / New Book drives are critical to the success of our Children's Birthday Project.  With 1,200 needy children receiving gifts from HSP two times a year, you can imagine that our book and toy shelves become empty quickly! Click here for suggestions

Toy drives are ideal for school. business and church groups who have access to many people on a regular basis.  If you are interested in conducting a new toy or new book drive, please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.  We will respond by sending you information (if needed) on how toy drives can be conducted and will plan logistics with you.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Bag Non-Perishable Food for the Seniors
Once a month, we deliver food to our adopted seniors.  During the week before we deliver food, we bag all of the non-perishable goods so they are ready for our drivers to deliver them on Saturday.  Typically, we have groups of  middle or high school students bag the non-perishables on the Thursday before deliver day each month.  We need groups who can bag during the summer months - June, July, and August.

If your group is interested, please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.


Volunteers bagging the non-perishable items for the seniors

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Become a Secret Pal


Secret Pal gifts ready to be delivered

All of the seniors in our Senior Citizen Project are eligible to have a Secret Pal.  A Secret Pal provides special, small gifts on a regular basis to provide a little extra joy in the life a struggling senior.  Some examples of gifts include candles, frames, stamps, stationery, lotions, shower gels, crossword puzzle books, pots/pans, puzzles, blankets, plants, Gift Certificates, etc..  The gifts are either dropped off or mailed to our our Carol Stream Center and are delivered to the seniors by their "delivery day driver" at the same time as their monthly food.

If you are interested in becoming a Secret Pal, please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Hold a Party in Honor of HSP!
We have some very creative and generous friends who have made us the "guest of honor" at their own personal parties.  For example, we had a wonderful person ask party guests to bring a new Barbie doll to a 40th surprise birthday party instead of a gift ... then all of the dolls were donated to our Children's Birthday Project.  WOW!  What a great idea, huh?


Birthdays are to be celebrated

If you ever have a "no gifts please" party ... but know people will bring gifts anyways ... please keep us in mind.  Perhaps asking guests to bring a new toy or book instead of saying "no gifts" will make it a win/win party.  

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Help With the Senior Wish List


A selection of donated items for seniors

Our 115 adopted senior citizens have many unmet needs.  For example, many of our seniors need small household appliances such as, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, coffee makers, fans, air conditioners, etc. We also accept medical aids such as walkers and wheelchairs in good condition.  If you would like to review our Senior Wish List on a regular basis, please let us know.  If there are items on the list that you are interested in donating  please let us know.  To view the current Wish List, please click here.

If you would like to donate an item that is on the Senior Wish List, please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Become a General Donor
If you or your group are interested in donating ... but do not want to donate annually to the Senior Citizen Project or to the Children's Birthday Project ... please know that we will always be able to make good use of donated funds.  As a matter of fact, sometimes we get a really special need and we solicit general donations in order to meet the need.  For example, this past winter we wanted to make sure we could provide each child with a pair of gloves and a hat so we received donations specifically to purchase these items for the low-income children. Also, sometimes an unexpected illness may arise for a senior and the senior may need help paying for an additional one-time medication. If you would like to be a general donor - please let us know.  We will put you on a list of people / groups to contact when unexpected needs arise.


Our center and Service Sidewalk

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Help with Christmas Offering/Christmas Boxing Party 2007
Dates for our Christmas Offering  are: 
 

Friday, December 21st, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday December 22nd, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. You can volunteer in 2 hour or longer shifts.

The Christmas Boxing is scheduled for Sunday, December 9th from 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and you must stay for all four hours. Please contact us by clicking the "I'm Interested" button to make reservations for any of these dates.


Sorting food at the Christmas Offering serving
100     low-low-income families

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Conduct a Fund-Raiser in our Honor
There are many creative ways for schools, clubs and groups to raise funds to help us sponsor more needy DuPage and Kane children and seniors.  For example, a group of middle school students bagged groceries at Cub Foods for a day and donated their tip money to HSP.  Their tip money turned out to be over $1200!  That is enough to sponsor a senior and ten needy children for a year!!  What an amazing contribution these middle-schoolers made to us and to the senior / children we are able to help because of them!!  We are also fortunate enough to be the recipient of proceeds from local club-sponsored parties and events such as fashion shows, dinner dances, etc..  Click here for more suggestions.

Please let us know about your creative fund raising ideas.  We'd love to work with you / your club to raise funds for our cause.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Wrap Birthday Gifts for the Children's Birthday Project
We deliver festive birthday packages to 1,200 needy children each year.  The packages are picked up by the family or delivered via UPS and are filled with beautifully wrapped books and toys.  The books and toys are wrapped by local groups or individuals.  If you or a group is interested in wrapping presents for the Children's Birthday Project, please let us know by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below.  Please note, this is such a popular activity that we suggest that you book well in advance. 


Birthday gifts wrapped by volunteers

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Senior Holiday Dinner Delivery
Deliver Holiday Dinner to Seniors. Through the generosity of another non-profit organization we are able to provide hot meals to those senior citizens who want them on Easter, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We are always in need of drivers to help deliver to the seniors on those holiday mornings. Just click the "I’m Interested" button to receive more information.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Help with Food Sorting

Whenever we have large food drives we need volunteers to help us sort the donated non-perishables. Individuals interested in helping can join our Wednesday morning team of volunteers.  Groups interested can call or email to schedule a time to help. Click the "I'm Interested" button below to contact us.

I'm Interested! Contact HSP.

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Deliver Groceries to Families

Once a month during the months of June, July, and August we deliver food to families in our Feed the Kids program. This would not be possible if it weren't for the wonderful drivers who contribute a portion of their day to the cause of feeding the needy. Drivers come to our Center in Carol Stream to pick up boxes and bags of food and joyfully deliver them to the families. This is an excellent opportunity for families to help out during the summer vacation.

If you are interested in becoming a driver please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below. 

I'm interested! Contact HSP.

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Organize Secret Pal Gifts

Come to our Center and help us organize Secret Pal gifts for our seniors the Friday before Delivery Day each month.

If you are interested in helping us organize Secret Pal gifts please contact us via e-mail by clicking the "I'm Interested" button below. 

I'm Interested! Contact HSP.

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Assemble Birthday Boxes
It’s so simple! Take a shoebox or similar-sized container, wrap it with birthday wrapping paper, and load it with birthday party supplies for a low-income child! This is a great project for an elementary school classroom or Girl Scout Troop.

Items for the birthday boxes include: cake mix, frosting, balloons, hats, plates, napkins, tablecloths, party favors, candles, and cake decorations. You can also add any other items you might think of! It’s fun to pack a box with a certain theme, like: Harry Potter, Powerpuff Girls, Blue’s Clues, Barbie, or Scooby Doo. Just click the "I’m Interested" button to send us an  e-mail!


Girl Scouts delivering
 Birthday Boxes

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Assemble Christmas Boxes

We help a total of 100 families with over 400 children at our Christmas Offering, and you can help give them a very merry Christmas! Just wrap a shoebox (or similar-sized container) with festive wrapping paper, and load it with Christmas goodies the whole family can enjoy! Deliver them to us by the first week in December and we’ll get it to them in time for Christmas!

Suggested items include: Christmas cards, stamps, candles, tree decorations, candy canes, Christmas lights and ornaments, cookie cutters, cookie mix, food coloring, sprinkles, hot chocolate, and festive tablecloths, napkins, plates, and cups. You’re welcome to add your own ideas as well! Just click the "I’m Interested" button and we’ll send you more information!

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Back-to-School Survival Kits

We help 1,200 low-income children, and they shouldn’t lack any of the basic school necessities! Fill a shoebox, backpack, or lunchbox with school essentials like: pens, pencils, erasers, paper, notebooks, rulers, Scotch tape, crayons, folders, binders, lunch bags, and a pocket dictionary/thesaurus. You can also come up with ideas of your own! This is a great project for a youth group. Click the "I’m Interested" button if you’d like more information.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Endowments

In 100 years, we’d still like to be helping low-income children and seniors. Through a one-time donation, you can provide perpetual support for a low-income child or senior citizen. This way there will ALWAYS be one needy child or senior who will benefit from our program. When they no longer need us, we will be able to replace them with another deserving soul.

A child endowment is $800. A senior endowment is $15,000. Monthly payment plans are available. Contact us for more information!

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Walkway of Service

Our Service Sidewalk at our Center recognizes individuals and groups who have made donations toward our building. For $500, or $25 a month, you can have your very own brick, engraved with your name and/or a personal message. We are currently in the process of arranging for the sidewalk to be moved to and installed at our new center - during one of your next visits you will be able to see the bricks inscribed with the names of past and current donors. Your donation will go towards maintenance and expansion of our building.

 Click the "I’m Interested" button if you would like to purchase a brick, or make a general donation towards our building fund.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Miscellaneous Volunteer Opportunities

We often need volunteers for one-time projects. Possible jobs include: picking up toy/food donations or delivering donations to our seniors. We also may need groups to do special projects at our Center in Carol Stream. Our seniors sometimes need help with housecleaning, inside house painting, or other odd jobs.

If you’d like to volunteer once in a while without long-term commitment, contact us by clicking the "I’m Interested" button. We’ll put you on our contact list and let you know when jobs become available where we could use your help!

 

Personal Care Drive

Besides providing our seniors with food items, we also provide household supplies, like cleaning supplies, Kleenex, toilet paper, and paper towels. In fact, each month we distribute 115 rolls of paper towels, 460 rolls of toilet paper, and 115 boxes of Kleenex. Click here for suggestions.

These everyday items are necessary for living, but often rather high-priced, and our seniors simply can’t afford to purchase them on their own. A personal care drive is a great project for schools, churches, and companies. If your group would like to provide these seniors with these necessities, click the "I’m Interested" button.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Assemble Senior Care Kits

This is a fun activity for groups and it gives our senior citizens an extra special treat! Decorate a shoebox or small basket, and fill it with items like tissues, throat lozenges, tea packets, a hot water bottle, aspirin, chicken boullion/broth, Chapstick,  hand lotion, coffee, hot chocolate etc. A "thinking of you" card adds an extra touch.

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Collect Empty Ink Cartridges

Here's an easy way to raise money for HSP! All you have to do is bring your empty ink cartridges to us! If you can donate your empty Inkjet and Laser cartridges we can have them recycled and receive between $1 and $5 for each empty cartridge! We are able to recycle most brands except for Epson. Collect them at your home, school or place of business. Please, bring them to our center or call us for details! We use the money we collect for child sponsorships.

 

I'm Interested!  Contact HSP.

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Purchase Donald Zolan Lithographs

We have a collection of Donald Zolan Lithographs that are for sale. Please visit the Donald Zolan page to view prints that are available. All proceeds benefit our programs!

 
 

 The Humanitarian Service Project is an Illinois not-for-profit Corporation.  Please contact us at:

465 Randy Rd. - Carol Stream IL 60188

phone:  630-221-8340   fax:  630-221-8371   
email: hsp@humanitarianservice.org