Home Depot Pitches In for YARN Foundation

A couple of weeks ago, it was a bare-looking shell of a place, in need of a lot of tender loving care. But drop by the YARN Foundation facility at 71 Boulder Hill Pass now, and you’ll see – it’s coming alive.

On Thursday, about 20 associates from Home Depot stores in Oswego and West Aurora headed out to the facility, just next to Dollar General, to help YARN founders John and Deborah Anthony realize their dream. The YARN Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, will utilize that space as a community center, and a place for teens and others to take GED classes, receive counseling, and get support.

Last month, Home Depot granted $11,000 in gift cards to the YARN Foundation, and the Anthonys used that to buy much-needed materials for renovation. On Thursday, Home Depot volunteers came out to help paint, lay tile in the bathrooms, hang doors and help get the center in shape. 

“We’re doing everything we can, whatever we have going on,” said Patrick Dickson of Home Depot.

Dickson said all the volunteers that have pitched in this week, and will in the coming weeks, have different reasons for wanting to be involved. For him, he said, knowing that there will be a safe place for kids in Kendall County to go “makes a world of difference.”

This week, the Kendall County Board approved a special use for the YARN Foundation, the final legal hurdle the group needed to clear before opening their center, which they hope to do this summer.

YARN has seen great support in Kendall County. The Foundation’s first fundraiser, dubbed , was held at the end of March, and brought in $14,000. The owner of their Boulder Hill facility, Henry Funk, has donated the first year’s rent for free.

Butterball has donated $10,000 in furniture, and ServPro of Kendall County will provide $5,000 of construction services for free as well.

And most recently, NetComm Business Solutions in Yorkville they would donate consulting fees for the first two hours for new customers to the cause. Essentially, each new customer will pay for a computer for the Foundation’s lab. The Anthonys hope to outfit their facility with 25 networked computers.

The Anthonys live in Plainfield, and John Anthony is a Kendall County police officer. YARN stands for Youth and Restoring Nations, and the non-profit's goal will be to improve the lives of as many young people as possible. For more information, check out their website.