Lend a holiday helping hand

• Submit events at least two weeks in advance to Melynda Findlay via e-mail, mfindlay@dailyherald.com or by fax, (630) 955-0895.

Dec. 25

• Lazarus House will host a free community Christmas brunch at noon Dec. 25 at Free Methodist Church, 214 Walnut St., St. Charles. Those who attend may bring any type of dish to pass. It should be in a disposable container by 11:30 a.m. and ready to serve by noon. Donations of cash and gift cards also are needed. Lazarus House provides shelter, emergency financial assistance and referral services for the homeless and for those at risk of being homeless in St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and western Kane County. For information, call Lazarus House at (630) 587-2144.

Through the holidays

• The Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging's cookbook "Chefs Out of the Kitchen to Fight Hunger, Vol. 2" now is available. The cookbook includes recipes from acclaimed local chefs, retro-style photography and a special resource section designed to help those caring for an elderly loved one. The cost is $20 and proceeds will benefit the Holiday Meals-on-Wheels program, which provides a hot meal to homebound senior citizens on days when the regular Meals-on-Wheels program is closed. For details, call (630) 293-5990 or visit www.ageguide.org.

• The Hinsdale Humane Society's holiday cards now are available at the shelter, 22 N. Elm St., Hinsdale. The cards were designed by artists Mary Badenhop. The cost is $12 for a set of 12 cards and envelopes. Proceeds benefit animals living at the shelter. They will be sold during regular shelter hours, which are 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays; noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To view design choices, visit www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org. For information, call (630) 323-5630.

Ongoing needs

• VFW Post 2801 in Villa Park is seeking donations to make its washrooms accessible to handicapped veterans. For information about the project, call the post at (630) 834-8191.

• Bridge Communities, a not-for-profit agency that helps homeless families in DuPage County find permanent housing, is seeking donations of used cars. In most cases, cars donated to Bridge Communities are given to the families it serves, to help them move toward self-sufficiency. The agency, which is based in Glen Ellyn, aims to provide transitional housing to homeless families in DuPage County through partnerships with faith- and community-based organizations. During the past 18 years, Bridge Communities has helped more than 1,500 people cross the bridge from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. For details, call Mark Milligan at (630) 545-0610, ext. 10 or visit www.bridgecommunities.org.