Watch now: 5 ways to give this holiday season in McLean County

BLOOMINGTON — Despite widespread effects of the coronavirus pandemic easing, many McLean County nonprofit organizations are anticipating a great need in holiday assistance.

Last year organizations in the Bloomington-Normal area adapted and reorganized programs to provide traditional holiday experiences and essential items to families in need. 

While many of those changes are still in place, with a host of drive-thru gift and meal giveaways, nonprofits say the level of assistance needed is about the same as the previous year due to layoffs and rising costs of food and other items.

Here are some nonprofits providing holiday assistance this year, and how people can get involved to help meet those needs.

Children's Home & Aid Adopt-A-Family and Stuff the Bus

Each year Children's Home & Aid provides resources to low-income families in McLean County and surrounding areas through a variety of programs. 

The nonprofit holds two holiday programs each year to bring in donations for its Crisis Nursery, which provides free diapers, formula, wipes and other items for children birth to 6 years of age, and for its Adopt-A-Family program.

Children's Home & Aid is available to families with young children who are in crisis and is open 24 hours, seven days a week. 

First, Children's Home & Aid partners with Connect Transit to "stuff the bus" and collect items that will be provided to families and children year-round. 

“The request for supplies significantly increased during the pandemic," said Jeannie Higdon, event coordinator with Children's Home & Aid. "We are not seeing that need slow down; families need the support and they continue to need ongoing support.”

The 19th annual Stuff the Bus event will be held Nov. 29 through Dec. 4 at various locations in Bloomington-Normal. 

A Connect Transit bus will be placed at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. that week:

• Nov. 29: Walmart, 300 Greenbriar Drive, Normal.
• Nov. 30: Walmart, 2225 W. Market St., Bloomington.
• Nov. 31: Kroger, 1550 E. College Ave., Normal.
• Dec. 3: Walmart, 2225 W. Market St., Bloomington.
• Dec. 4: Walmart, 300 Greenbriar Drive, Normal.

A second bus will be set up Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sam's Club, 2151 Shepard Road, Normal.

Needed items include non-perishable food, new clothing and toys, diapers, and other items for children aged infant to 6 years old. The greatest need are large-sized diapers and Gentlease formula (purple can).

Monetary donations are accepted at the Children's Home & Aid office, 403 S. State St., Bloomington, and at the Connect Transit office, 351 Wylie Drive, Normal. More information is available at www.childrenshomeandaid.org.

“I think it’s very important for the community to know that this truly supplies our nursery and helps families in our community for the entire year," said Higdon. "We really invest a lot into this week. It is so incredibly essential for our services; without it we wouldn't be able to do what we need to do.”

Children's Home & Aid also hosts an Adopt-A-Family program to provide families receiving services through the organization with donated gifts, household items or money.

This year Children's Home & Aid is assisting 204 families, or 770 people — just over 30 more families than the previous year, said Laura Cordero, program coordinator. 

The organization creates personalized profiles of each family for individuals to sponsor by providing a monetary donation, or by purchasing items on the family's wish list. Typically it takes around $200 to sponsor an individual person, or around $400 for a family of two, said Cordero.

Children's Home & Aid is still in need of around 100 donors to sponsor families this year.

"Not everyone has recovered from the pandemic by any means," said Cordero. "A lot of our families, they're still struggling to get by."

She added, "We have a very generous community, and without them, we would never be able to do what we do."

Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal Holiday Shopping Spree

An annual holiday shopping spree for families receiving services through the Boys & Girls Club, 1615 W. Illinois St., Bloomington, will be a drive-thru event this year.  

Around 206 families and 300 children are registered for the event, said Jenny Hall, BGC director of operations.

Registration is full, but the organization is seeking volunteers and donations for the event, which provides toys, coats, hats and shoes to families. The organization needs shoes in sizes 1 youth through 12 men and gift cards of up to $25 for teenagers. Food baskets will not be included this year.

Donations of wrapping paper and tape may be dropped off at the clubhouse from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Monetary donations may be made through bgcbn.com. For more information, call Hall at 309-829-3034 ext. 109.

"We really appreciate the community's support with all the agencies who participate in helping families this year," she said.

U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots

Each year the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots serves thousands of children in McLean County, spreading holiday cheer and providing a celebration to families who might not otherwise have the means to do so.

Typically the nonprofit organization relies on toy donations made through toy drives and collection bins at local businesses, but with state-mandated coronavirus restrictions, the group has struggled without the necessary foot traffic.

The community showed up, however, and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve was able to give away 17,000 toys over a two-day period last December. That included toys for 5,000 children, nine schools and seven service agencies, all in McLean County, said Troy Zeigler, director of the Toys for Tots program.

"This year we do not anticipate seeing a decline; if anything, I think we're going to try to do even more with a couple more schools and service agencies," he said. 

A list of drop-off locations is available on the Toys for Tots McLean County Facebook page, and the last day is Dec. 13. Toys will be distributed Dec. 15 and Dec. 16. 

So far, the group has between 3,000 and 4,000 toys in its warehouse.

Toy donations are needed for infants to age 12. Monetary donations are also being accepted at any of the drop-off locations or at The Salvation Army.

Checks should be made out to Toys for Tots of McLean County. Online donations may be made at bloomington-il.toysfortots.org.

McLean County Children's Christmas Party

Typically a day for games, presents and a visit with Santa, the McLean County Children's Christmas Party is holding a drive-thru giveaway for a second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 39th annual event will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with gift and food distribution at the Midwest Food Bank, 2031 Warehouse Road, Normal. It is open to children 12 and younger.

Last year the event served around 800 children, the largest since the event first started in 1982.

"COVID created a lot of need last year, and even though a lot of people are getting back to work and we may not see over 700 (people), we're going to see a good-size group," said event coordinator Mike Matejka. 

Families in need can register at https://bit.ly/3i6mGxl, or send an email to bnchildrenschristmas@gmail.com with the number of children participating, age, gender, address, phone number and a preferred pickup time. Families can also mail letters with this information to "Children's Christmas" at 2201 Eastland Drive Suite #4, Bloomington, IL 61704. 

Registration closes Dec. 6.

Once registered, families can choose a pick-up time. Boxes with gifts, candy and other items will be prepared in advance and given to families as they arrive. 

The event is sponsored by the Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce. 

Volunteers are needed and people may sign up through the McLean County Chamber of Commerce. Monetary donations are also accepted and can be sent to Children's Christmas Party, c/o McLean County Chamber of Commerce, 2203 E. Empire St., Bloomington, IL 61704.

Online donations can be made through Paypal at paypal.me/BNChildren.