Hope and Friendship coordinating 14th annual Christmas Outreach

Santa may be making his list and checking it twice in the North Pole, but Terri O'Neill-Borders, founder and executive director of Hope and Friendship Foundation, is doing the same thing here in Lemont.

Christmas 2005 was the first Hope and Friendship Christmas Outreach at which Terri rallied donations, received the offering of a place to gather, and sat at the first Christmas Dinner providing not only food but support and friendship to those who needed a place to share a day that isn't always easy for some who are struggling.

Now for the 14th year she is creating and checking twice the list of homes that "friends of Hope and Friendship Foundation" will visit on December 25th, arriving at the homes of many who are struggling through financial, physical and emotional trials with a fully cooked Christmas Dinner and a care bag of basic needs.

Last year Lemont Bromberek School District 113A gave the greatest gift of allowing Hope and Friendship Foundation space for this outreach in Old Quarry Middle School, after having outgrown other community facilities as this outreach has grown with each year it serves the needs in our community. In 2017, more than 300 "friends" joined in the mission of creating 84 Care Bags, Christmas Dinners and delivering them on Christmas Day, even in the brutal cold weather!

Terri has a team of friends who have made it a Christmas tradition to set up 16 deep fryers to prepare what has become the Hope and Friendship Christmas Dinner staple: deep fried turkey. Lemont Calvary Church offers it's property and kitchen to this team of friends who turn 60 plus turkeys into a Christmas feast and a gift of love for people they will never meet.

Another team of neighbors have taken on deep frying hams. Another friend has rallied all of her grandchildren and family each year, preparing a feast of delicious homemade Christmas cookies- 60+ boxes- all of which are beautifully gift wrapped. Others have jumped in on making this Christmas outreach a tradition in their co-workers, church friends, organization or club members, or a tradition within their own homes to offer a Christmas gift to another home within their community.

Terri has long spoken of how one home can spin from one who offers to one that needs a lift and offering of this unconditional and generous gift given in the spirit of Christmas. "There is a small degree of separation between those that can provide help and hope, and those who need it offered." She has seen it often over the past 13 years. One home that has helped has opened their door on Christmas Day, moved to tears, to be the recipient; and on the flip side, many who have received, show up regularly to Hope and Friendship Foundation Outreaches to offer their hands, feet, time and energy in deep gratitude.

How can you join in the tradition? Terri is glad you asked.....

-Sat Dec 22nd Christmas Care Box Sorting/Creation Day- Join us at 10am at
Old Quarry Middle School Saturday Dec 22nd and help us create the Care
Boxes that will be delivered on Christmas Day with the Christmas
Dinners.

Donations of Care Box Items can be dropped off inside the main door of Old Quarry Middle School through Fri Dec 21st

**All donations of care bag items due by Fri Dec 21st, or at 10am on Sat Dec 22nd when the sorting begins

-Tues Dec 25th Christmas Day Dinner Food Donations - Prepared food (in 4
person serving size) is needed to gift a Christmas Dinner: potatoes,
veggies, side dishes, stuffing/gravy, rolls, desserts.

Drop off donations cooked and packaged for 4 person serving, to Old Quarry
Middle School on Dec 25 11:30am-1:30 to the east side door of Old Quarry
Middle School (16100 W. 127th St., Lemont)

-Tues Dec 25th Christmas Dinner/Care Box Sort & Deliver-

Join us from 1:30-3pm at Old Quarry Middle School (16100 W. 127th St.,
Lemont- east door) to help with assembling Christmas Dinners

or come at 3pm to the east side door of Old Quarry Middle School to help with the delivery of the Dinners and Care Boxes.

Contact Terri O'Neill-Borders with any questions, or if you know someone who could use this gift of compassion to help them through a challenging Christmas. She believes strongly that we are making amazing ripples of compassion, hope, love and peace here in our corner of the world.

Email- terri@hopeandfriendshipfoundation.com

Website- www.hopeandfriendshipfoundatio...

Facebook Page: "Hope and Friendship Ministries" and "Terri O'Neill-Borders"