St. Charles-based Lazarus House adapts for the holidays thanks to community volunteers

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Lazarus House has had to adapt like so many volunteer-driven nonprofit organizations.

Since 1997, Lazarus House has grown as a St. Charles-based charity that provides various services for people facing homelessness and poverty in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and western rural Kane County.

Lazarus House's housing policies, volunteer scheduling and even holiday celebrations all had to be altered in the face of COVID-19.

“There have been a lot of changes,” said Tasha Curry, volunteer coordinator for Lazarus House. “Like other shelters, we didn't want to become 'Houses of Incubation.'”

So starting in March, Curry said Lazarus House individuals and families sheltering in communal parts of its building - a former church at 214 Walnut St. - were relocated. Many ended up in area motels and hotels with the help of state subsidies.

Guests who were in Lazarus House's Center for Transitional Living were able to stay on-site, thanks to the dormlike living spaces that allowed them to be more isolated.

Yet, Curry was pleased to announce that most of the Lazarus House guests in motels were able to return in the first week of December. That's thanks to some sleeping-area reconfigurations, including removing bunk beds, to help maintain social distancing.

“COVID-19 has cut the amount of people that we're allowed to have in just to meet state guidelines for sleeping,” Curry said. “We used to be able to house around 70 within our doors. Now that's been cut almost in half, and our maximum is almost 40.”

Lazarus House also had to drastically revamp its scheduling of on-site volunteers. Rather than having church group members come to its kitchen and dining room to cook meals and serve their guests, Lazarus House asked its volunteers to prepare meals from their own homes and then deliver them daily.

This shift in meal making has also applied to Lazarus House's holiday celebrations. In past years, about 100 to 150 volunteers, community leaders and Lazarus Hous guests could congregate together at another venue for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day meals. This year, the holiday meals are Lazarus House guests-only gatherings.

Curry was pleased that Lazarus House already has a full roster of volunteers pledged to cook and drop off meals for their holiday gathering. But they could always do with more people willing to officially sign up.

“Having meals in individual containers would really help,” Curry said. “And anybody who would like to drop by Christmas desserts - we could probably use more pies.”

Lazarus House has also already paired gift givers to shop for presents for their in-house guests and homeless-prevention clients living out in the surrounding community.

“This year, we had them making wish lists. They're choosing three things: something I want, something I need and something to read,” Curry said. “Those three things are put onto a little tag, those are matched to volunteer in the community, who purchases those things and returns them before Christmas Day - wrapped and bagged as a trio and ready to be put under our tree.”

Curry said Lazarus House has had to do so much preplanning to make sure their holiday programs run safely and smoothly. Yet with looming evictions on the horizon, Curry said people who want to volunteer last-minute should contact her to see if their help or donations are needed for the holidays and beyond.

“We have volunteers bringing in our food, bringing in our household goods and supplies and contributing to keep roofs over everyone of our guests' heads,” Curry said. “It would not be possible without our community's support.”

Lazarus House

What: Founded in 1997, Lazarus House is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides safe shelter, food and a range of services to people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Services are provided to people connected to Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and western rural Kane County.

Where: 214 Walnut St., St. Charles, IL 60174

How you can help:

Volunteer: Due to COVID-19, most in-house volunteering has been suspended, but Lazarus House is still in need of overnight volunteers. Email volunteer@lazarushouse.net for details.

Donate money: Monetary gifts directly support Lazarus House's programming, as only 10% of the nonprofit organization's budget goes to administrative expenses. Credit card and PayPal donation links are at lazarushouse.net/donate, or you can mail a check.

Donate supplies: See lazarushouse.net/urgent-needs for a list of urgently needed supplies.

Info: Call (630) 587-2144, email info@lazarushouse.net or visit lazarushouse.net.