Cocoa & Kindness: Give comfort for a great cause in 2025
Treat friends and loved ones to a box of comfort this winter!
A fundraiser of Inside Out Club DuPage, Cocoa & Kindness offers the opportunity to send gift boxes filled with a variety of goodies. Inside Out Club DuPage (IOCD) is a local nonprofit that helps children 3 and older develop and practice character skills, including empathy, acceptance, perseverance and kindness. Activities are offered through after-school programs for elementary, junior high and high school students and one-time events for families, groups and online through a curated library.
Available through Valentine’s Day, Cocoa & Kindness is an ideal way for both recipients and givers to think of and care for others, animals the planet and even treat themselves, said Marion Ruthig, founder and CEO of Inside Out Club DuPage.
“Cocoa & Kindness spreads love and joy to those in need throughout the community all while providing critical funds for the Inside Out Club mission,” Ruthig said. “Purchasers can buy a box to keep, give or mark ‘donate’ during checkout and then select for their box or boxes to go to teachers, hospital workers, police and fire, seniors or veterans. Around Valentine's Day hundreds of Cocoa and Kindness boxes will be delivered as random acts of kindness and will create ripples of joy in the community. This is Inside Out Club's largest fundraiser and provides more than $25,000 to support kids and families.”
With the theme “sprinkle kindness,” this year’s boxes feature sugar cookie mix and sprinkles, a variety of delicious treats, including cookies or a doughnut from DeEtta’s Bakery, and of course, hot cocoa.
“The purchase provides money to support Inside Out Club’s education programs that empower youth with the skills needed for good mental health in life, school and future careers, and to make a positive impact on others, animals and the planet,” Ruthig said. “This fundraiser will enable us to reach more youth with impactful programs.”
Cocoa & Kindness is made possible by the generous support of volunteers and sponsors such as Gerald Subaru of Naperville.
“Gerald Subaru of Naperville lives out the value of kindness that we hold dear and understands the power it has to bring people together,” Ruthig said. “We are so grateful for their continued partnership.”
Among exciting new initiatives this year at Inside Out Club is a SkillsBox10 program for high school students and recent graduates that helps students bridge the “soft skills” gap to allow them to thrive in life and the workforce. Skills taught include social confidence, teamwork, problem solving, time management, budgeting, goal setting, public speaking, communication etiquette, social responsibility and networking.
“We're honored to support such a fantastic fundraiser that makes a meaningful difference for so many children,” said Donna Lawler of the Gerald Auto Group. “Cocoa & Kindness is a wonderful way to brighten someone's day during the winter and spread warmth and goodwill to others.”
To order a Cocoa and Kindness box, visit www.insideoutclub.org/cocoa-kindness. To learn more about Gerald Subaru of Naperville, visit www.geraldsubarunaperville.com.