Lake Shore Harley owners helping Libetyville-based ministry

It is a very small organization that does some big things. But in its 11 years, soliciting HOGs for help was not among them.

Maristella, a Libertyville-based ministry that helps homeless women and children, hopes its new relationship with a bunch of bikers will be beneficial at a time when money is tight.

And the feeling is mutual.

"We didn't know much about them but after we met with them, we were totally on board," said Mike Lewis, director of the Lake Shore Harley Owners Group.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, Maristella will host a Poker Run in cooperation with Lakeshore Harley-Davidson/Buell, its HOG chapter and Buffalo Wild Wings in Vernon Hills. Registration begins at 10 a.m. at the dealership, 14000 Rockland Road, Libertyville.

With only two full-time staffers, including founder Fran Forys, the ministry that has assisted about 3,000 clients in its tenure is sometimes hard pressed. Golf outings to raise funds weren't working.

"We had to make a change," said Forys, who was homeless for a time as a child. Finding an alternative started with a car - a 2004 Hyundai Elantra - that was donated to the group and is the big raffle prize.

In keeping with the vehicle theme, a suggestion was made to try a poker run, an event in which participants receive a card at each of five stops ending at Buffalo Wild Wings.

The best three hands win a prize at the end of the run.

"We couldn't get over the hurdle of how to do it," Forys said. They connected with the HOG group, which has a history of helping with charitable causes.

"We had several meetings," Forys said. "Our last one was very exciting. We had all these motorcycle guys there."

With 280 members, the HOG group is seasoned at charitable events. On Wednesday, it delivered 1,400 toys and teddy bears to Waukegan authorities to use as gifts for kids displaced after fires. In June, it did a benefit for Lambs Farm, and now it hopes to make Maristella an annual event.

"Right here in our backyard is a very needy organization that does wonderful things in Lake County," Lewis said.

Forys, case worker Sonia Mares and two part-timers comprise the Maristella staff. The mission is to promote self-sufficiency while keeping women and children in their homes or apartments through rent subsidies.

Short-term lodging at local hotels, with which the nonprofit has arrangements, is also available. The group helps clients find jobs, assists with food, clothing and household goods and provides counseling on financial matters.

Mares said many clients have fallen into lower income brackets, causing them to fall behind in rent or face eviction.

"Our funding comes from private sources but because of the economy and the recession we're not able to get the response," she said. "The needs are much bigger this year than last year."

Forys said many people are losing jobs and can't pay rent because they have been living paycheck to paycheck.

"We've had to refer a number of people," to other agencies, she said. "Fifty a week are calling in that we've had to turn away."

In the bigger picture, Maristella is one of about two dozen organizations in Lake County providing some type of service to the homeless. The county each year applies for a federal grant under its Continuum of Care program. Last year, it received about $1.6 million.

The annual "Point-in-Time Count" last January tallied 370 homeless people but it is admittedly a snapshot, said Joel Williams, senior planner for the Lake County community development department.

Shelters opened this week, and Williams is gathering information to get a handle on who is in the shelters and why they are there.

"There is an increase in the number of families and it's not the people who show up at the shelter year in and year out, which we refer to as the chronically homeless," he said.

Call (847) 367-5360 or visit www.maristella.org to register for the Poker Run or buy a chance to win the car.