St. Therese Students Reach Out to the Homeless of Hesed House

Aurora, IL: What do the City of Aurora’s former incinerator and the children of St. Therese of Jesus Catholic School have in common? Both helped care for the area’s homeless this month.

This story begins in the early 1980s, when religious leaders of six Aurora churches and other concerned citizens formed a grassroots coalition to shelter, feed and clothe homeless individuals and families found walking the streets in adverse weather conditions. Rotating among the six church halls each night to provide a port in the storm for this struggling group, a core of volunteers prepared and served food at the churches.

The coalition approached City of Aurora leaders imploring them to help find a better solution to shelter, feed and care for this group of human beings caught in desperate situations. At that time, the City of Aurora’s former incinerator was available for sale and was proposed as an option for providing services and shelter under one roof, yet on a bus route for access by the population who would be served and who did not have transportation. Thus was the creation of Hesed House.

This month, as a Christmas and Feast of the Epiphany Service Project, the children of St. Therese donated more than 200 pair of athletic socks to Hesed House filled with toiletries including toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, mouthwash, shampoo, and conditioner. “We talked to our students about donating the kinds of things that you and I take for granted; things that could take someone from being homeless to feeling like a whole human being again,” explained Principal Michael Neis. “Because toiletries aren’t covered by Public Aid, many homeless individuals go without. They find themselves with no money and less dignity.” Grand Dental who donated toothbrushes and toothpaste assisted St. Therese students in their efforts.

About Hesed House

Today, Hesed House is the second largest shelter in the State of Illinois, and the largest shelter outside of the City of Chicago. With the help of professional staff, alliances with outside agencies and 6,000 volunteers from 70 area churches, almost one thousand individuals (including 188 children) are served each year through Hesed House’s shelter and three housing programs. Hesed House sees 16 newly homeless individuals each week – that’s one new homeless individual every 8 1/2 hours. Hesed House strives to get 16 or 17 individuals out of homelessness each week.

About St. Therese School

St. Therese is a co-educational Catholic elementary school located in Aurora, Illinois. Founded in May 1925, St. Therese continues to offer an affordable Catholic education to students in preschool through 8th Grade. We serve a multi-cultural population through messages of faith, academic programs and service opportunities. The educational team challenges students to practice their faith in Christ while becoming knowledgeable and skilled citizens. For more information about our school or any of our programs, please contact our Principal, Michael Neis, at 630.898.0620.