MY JOYFUL HEART TEEN VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZE DONATION DRIVE

Photo - The Junior Board members pose for a picture during their board meeting (l.to r.) Lauren Kopec, Grace Pawelczyk, Payton Moyzis, and Maura Fenessey

My Joyful Heart’s Junior Board of Directors is launching a project to help raise money for underprivileged local children enrolled in the charity’s program. These young volunteers are organizing a donation drive with the hopes of collecting enough items to fill a truck. And this ambitious group of teens isn’t setting their sights on filling a small pickup truck; they want to fill a box truck. The Savers Donation Network, an organization that supports local nonprofits, will pay by the pound for the donated items and will reuse or recycle all of them.

“Several months ago the junior board coordinated a very successful food drive,” said Diane Carroll, My Joyful Heart’s Founder and Executive Director. “When they learned about the Savers program, they immediately jumped on the opportunity to host another drive. With their level of enthusiasm for helping needy children, I’m confident that they will reach their goal and fill that truck,” Carroll added.

The junior board members will go door-to-door dropping off flyers to local residents with the hope that they fill a garbage bag with unwanted household items such as magazines, books, shoes, small appliances like toasters and coffee makers, dishes, cookware, bedding, clothing, purses, jewelry, toys, games, and movies. In summary, they will collect all things new and used with only a few exceptions such as no furniture, mattresses, flammable products, or cleaning products. If you need clarification on acceptable items to donate, call My Joyful Heart at (815) 806-1700 for assistance.

If the teens don’t leave a flyer on your doorstep, but you’d like to donate, you can drop off items at My Joyful Heart located at 9981 W. 190th Street, Suite I, Mokena. Collection hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and donations are being accepted now through June 20, 2016.

“We are really excited about this project,” commented Grace Pawelczyk, President of the Junior Board. “We anticipate getting a lot of donations because we’ll be approaching people in neighborhoods throughout Frankfort, Mokena, and Joliet. Plus, we hope to entice people into participating with our offer to pick up donations right from their doorstep. We want it to be easy for them to help these needy kids,” said Pawelczyk.

My Joyful Heart is a unique charity that provides personalized assistance and encouragement for children in need throughout Chicagoland. As a faith-based organization, My Joyful Heart endeavors to be a positive influence to children in need by remembering them with basic life essentials, school supplies, clothing, toys, and encouragement throughout each year. By providing these gifts on a regular basis they extend love and hope to these children, making them feel special and letting them know that people do care.

My Joyful Heart’s mission is nurturing disadvantaged children with the love of Jesus Christ by providing life’s essentials so they thrive!