Buffalo Grove honors mother, daughter who help disaster victims

Buffalo Grove has honored a mother-and-daughter team for their fundraising efforts on behalf of those affected by natural disasters.

Amy Leibach and her daughter, Kaylee Leibach, were the inaugural honorees of the village’s new Caring Community Program. They were recognized at last week’s Buffalo Grove village board meeting.

In 2023, the Buffalo Grove residents sent more than $500 in books and activity bundles to victims of the Maui fire. Last year, they collected more than $3,000 in books and puzzles, which were sent to Canton, North Carolina, to aid victims of Hurricane Helene.

They are now working with the nonprofit Families in Schools to support those displaced by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

“When bad things, or hard things, happen in the world, I think sometimes you feel like you can’t do much about it,” Amy Leibach said. “But what we found is that books have always been very comforting to us.”

The book drives, she said, gather items that might bring joy and let people know there are others around the country thinking about them.

Buffalo Grove village Trustee Denice Bocek praised their efforts.

“People get busy with their day-to-day, but it's so important to give back,” she said.

Those who wish to nominate someone for the Community Caring Program award can visit www.vbg.org/caringcommunity.