Faith Leaders of McHenry County to offer more homeless camping gear distributions
The Faith Leaders of McHenry County and Compassion for Campers are continuing to distribute camping gear and supplies to the homeless.
Three more offerings are scheduled in Crystal Lake, McHenry and Woodstock in August and September. Additional distributions may be scheduled later as needed.
"Many of McHenry County's homeless have to resort to camping and the need to help them will become more urgent," said Patrick Murfin of Compassion for Campers. "We expect a surge of new homeless with the suspension or reduction of unemployment insurance and the expiration of eviction suspensions. Many will be unhoused for the first time and will include formerly secure individuals and families."
Supplies will be available in the following church parking lots:
• Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 76 W. Crystal Lake Ave. in Crystal Lake;
• Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 3717 Main St. in McHenry;
• Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at St. Ann's Episcopal Church, 503 W. Jackson in Woodstock.
Distribution of supplies will be drive through/walk up with face masks required, social distancing observed, and no gathering.
Among the supplies available while they last will be tents, sleeping bags, tarps and pads, coolers, mosquito repellent, sun screen, hygiene products, other sundries, and nonperishable food.
The Faith Leaders of McHenry County is an informal group of clergy serving local congregations or as chaplains as well as lay leaders and volunteers who meet regularly to address the needs of the community.
The group came together to share wisdom, experience, positive community action as the COVID-19 epidemic arose. It has also taken up the issues of racism and privilege brought to the fore by the Black Lives Matter Movement and the protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd and other persons of color. It is also now addressing homelessness.
Compassion for Campers is a program founded by the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry which has been serving the homeless every summer for the past eight years.
Monetary donations from the Faith Leaders and their congregations have been added to Compassion for Campers funds to purchase the gear.
Additional donations can be made by sending a check made out to Tree of Life UU Congregation with Compassion for Campers on the memo line to the church at 5603 W. Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050.
Compassion for Campers is a dedicated fund and no donations to it can be used by Tree of Life for any other purpose. The church absorbs all administrative expenses so 100% of donations will be used to aid the homeless.
For more information, contact Patrick Murfin at (815) 814-5645 or email pmurfin@sbcglobal.net.