Volunteering Gives Glenview Resident 'Rewarding Feelings'

GLENVIEW, IL — At the age of 7, Glenview's Emery Sill was already learning about the importance of charity work. Through her parents, the Glenbrook South High School senior got involved with The Honeycomb Project, a Chicago-based nonprofit that fosters opportunities for family volunteering.

"We found the more charitable activities we did, the more connected to our community we felt," Sill recently told Patch. "Activities offered by The Honeycomb Project give our family so much joy — not only while we're doing the work, but also the incredibly warm and rewarding feelings it leaves us with."

Now, 17, Sill continues to work with the organization, along with her parents and brother, Evan. Sill says that she has developed a passion for helping the less fortunate.

"Some of our best family memories were made at Honeycomb's projects, like the very first one we did at the Anti-Cruelty Society, where we made beds and hand-crafted toys for the animals," Sill said.

With the holidays here, The Honeycomb Project is launching its Season of Service initiative, running from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. According to the organization, the effort enables families to celebrate the spirit of the holidays and shows kids that "there's more to the season than getting – there’s joy and memory-making in giving." The nonprofit will mobilize more than 1,000 volunteers as part of the effort.

In 2020, Sill founded Emery's Kitchen, a baked goods company that features delicious family recipes and creates new ones. Early on, Emery's Kitchen was part of the Logan Square Farmers Market. Now, her granola and cookies are available online and sold in 20 grocery stores throughout Chicagoland. Ten percent of profits are donated to The Honeycomb Project and One Tail at a Time.

"I have been baking since I was a child, using a step stool to reach the countertop. Baking during the holidays was always so exciting for me because it was my time to finally showcase something I had created with a family member," Sill said. "When I became old enough to bake on my own, my
grandma began to teach me many of her recipes, and every holiday she would make her famous
granola."

Sill said that when the pandemic hit, she was unable to spend valuable time with her grandmother in the kitchen, so she began baking her recipes on her own.

"This hobby grew, and we started to share my baked goods with family and friends," Sill said. "From all the positive responses, we knew we had to make the baked goods available to others."

Sill, who is busy applying to colleges, is also looking forward to The Honeycomb Project's annual Holiday Cheer Challenge. In its third year, the event for participants of all ages includes a scavenger hunt that organizers say infuses giving back with an "unforgettable adventure."

Starting at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, families will race around downtown, performing simple holiday-themed tasks that make others smile, such as singing carols at Cloud Gate and delivering thank you notes to city workers. The event wraps up with an awards ceremony and celebration. Funds raised will fuel Honeycomb’s year-round programs.

"It's a time to be together as a family, have fun, and make other people smile," Sill said.

Sill said she plans to focus on psychology and nutrition in college, which she believes will help her continue to grow Emery's Kitchen.

To learn more about Emery's Kitchen, check out their website here. To volunteer for The Honeycomb Project, visit here.