Club donates to LivingWell Cancer Resource Center
The Fox Valley Newcomers and Neighbors Club recently donated $3,000 to LivingWell Cancer Resouce Center.
The Geneva agency, providing compassionate care to cancer patients and their families, was the club's charity for the 2015-16 season.
The club is a social and philanthropic organization for women in the Fox Valley area who have one common goal: to make friends. Some members are new or not so new to the area. Some are retired, getting back into social activities after children go to school, or just looking to network.
Members can help each other with the many questions and challenges involved in relocating or just learning more about the area.
The club chooses a different charity to support each year. Safe Families for Children is the choice for the 2016-17 season.
Safe Families hosts vulnerable children. Under current economic conditions, many families experience a financial crisis, unemployment, and homelessness. Often these situations result in, or are made worse by, other hardships such as parental violence, drug or alcohol use, physical or mental illness, or incarceration.
In these situations, parents or guardians may be incapable of providing a safe and caring environment for their children, putting them at risk of abuse and neglect.
In the past, extended family or neighbors stepped in to help families in crisis by caring for their children for short periods of time. Today, however, many families are socially isolated, and their extended family is nonexistent, or unavailable or unable to help.
Adding to the problem is the fact that most state child welfare agencies are required under law to rescue only those children who suffer blatant abuse or neglect, leaving thousands of children at risk.
At the Fox Valley Newcomers Club's September luncheon, Toni Horras, church engagement and outreach coordinator for Safe Families, will discuss Safe Families' mission and how the program works.
Diane Virden, a club member, will share her experience with Safe Families and introduce the speaker.
The luncheon will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Arrowhead Golf Club, 26W151 Butterfield Road in Wheaton.
To learn more about joining or attend a monthly luncheon as a guest, call Regina at (331) 222-7255, or visit www.foxvalleynewcomer.com.
Annual membership costs $25 and is open to anyone.