Palatine churches unite for Day of Service benefiting local charities

On Sunday, Nov. 8, St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Palatine will host a community-wide Day of Service, bringing parishioners of all ages together for hands-on projects benefiting local charities, families facing hardship, hospitalized children, veterans, shelter animals and others in need.

Volunteers will participate in a variety of service projects, including assembling welcome kits for parents staying at Ronald McDonald House locations, creating toys and enrichment items for hospitalized children and rescue animals, making blankets for women living in shelters and crafting items for veterans and people who are homebound.

Children, age 3 to 6, will also have an opportunity to participate through a special project called Caring Kiddos, assembling small toys for hospitalized children.

Members of neighboring St. Theresa Parish, 455 N. Benton St., are also organizing outdoor service projects, including raking leaves for residents who need assistance, as partners of the event.

It will be 10 a.m. to noon at St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, 1201 E. Anderson Drive. All of the activity will take place in the gym, also known as the Rowley Activity Center.

The service projects include:

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Assembling 100 welcome kits for parents staying at Ronald McDonald House locations.

• Caring Kiddos: Children, age 3 to 6, will assemble small toys for hospitalized children.

• Second City Canine Rescue: Making snuffle mats and enrichment toys for shelter dogs.

• Camp One Step: Creating friendship bracelets for children with cancer.

• The Linked Cots Ministry: Crocheting sleeping mats for people experiencing homelessness using recycled plastic grocery bags.

• Faith Feeds Food Pantry: Bundling diapers and including notes of encouragement written by parish children for parents navigating the challenges of caring for a new baby while experiencing food insecurity.

• Barb’s Precious Rescue: Making catnip toys for rescue cats.

• The Salvation Army: Creating tie blankets for women living in shelters.

• Veterans: Making cards, magnets, door hangers and ornaments to accompany donated items for veterans.

• Ministers of Care Homebound: Creating cards, suncatchers and ornaments for ministers to distribute to people they visit.