Vernon Township seeks sponsors for Holiday Giving Program

If you'd like to give back to area residents in need through Vernon Township's annual Sponsor-A-Family Program, the signup deadline to become a sponsor/donor is Monday, Oct. 2.

This annual program provides dinners to families in need for Thanksgiving in November, and gifts in December for both the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays. In-need families are paired with generous sponsors whose goodwill helps to bring a little more joy and happy memories to those who couldn't otherwise afford the costs associated with traditional holiday celebrations.

An overwhelming number of recipients for the Sponsor-A-Family Program also utilize the Vernon Township Food Pantry, which has been open for more than 25 years and provides food to approximately 145 families each month. The township has seen a 100% increase in Food Pantry users since the pandemic - a spike that is being attributed to the continual rising costs of living.

"The need throughout our township has been growing dramatically since 2020, as evidenced by the substantial increase in individuals and families utilizing our Food Pantry today," said township Supervisor Jonathan Altenberg. "If you'd like to participate in our holiday giving program as a sponsor/donor [but would prefer to make a monetary donation instead of donating items], donations can now be made through PayPal to help support it - and help make the holidays a bit brighter for those who are less fortunate."

Individuals can sign up to provide a Thanksgiving meal, gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah, or any combination of the three. The signup form can be found at https://loom.ly/7UD_LrU and the PayPal donation site can be found at https://loom.ly/xwuVEnY.

Once a generous sponsor is paired with an in-need family for Thanksgiving, the sponsor fills a basket with all the nonperishable fixings for the traditional holiday meal and can also opt to customize their donation by adding gift cards, cooking utensils, condiments, plate settings or whatever else they think the family may need. Baskets are dropped off at the township and then distributed to the families.

Sponsors can also choose to provide gifts for the holidays and will be given anonymous information about the sponsored family - including clothing size and toy or other gift wish lists from family members. The Christmas or Hanukkah gifts are then given to the family by the township for the holidays.

Community members, businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider giving back to those less fortunate neighbors via the Sponsor-A-Family Program. To learn more or for any questions, call (847) 634-4600 or email foodpantry@vernontownship.com.

Vernon Township covers all or portions of the following communities: Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire and Riverwoods, Mundelein, Vernon Hills and Lake Forest. Visit vernontownship.com to learn about all of the services provided for township residents.