NEWS AND EVENTS
The M.O.R.E. Center is constantly busy with events and activities focused on the Marengo/Union community. We are proud to showcase past and upcoming events (see In the News page and below) and extend our invitation to you to attend a M.O.R.E. event.
JEWEL-OSCO, WAL-MART MAKE WALK-IN FREEZER REALITY
We got it! We can breathe now. Jewel-Osco Food Stores has given M.O.R.E. a grant of $2500 to be used toward the purchase of a walk-in freezer. In addition to this, $1000 from Wal-mart, $2500 from a private foundation grant, and many individual donations are making our much needed walk-in freezer possible sometime in February.
HOLIDAY CLEARINGHOUSE A SUCCESS
This year, food boxes, including a turkey, were available for $15 from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. A
community drive brought in more than $6000 for food boxes. This enabled M.O.R.E. to add to the boxes with milk, eggs, cheese, ham and a number of canned and boxed foods. In partnership with the HOSA organization at MCHS, Thanksgiving food boxes were distributed to more than 130 families. Zion Lutheran School and Church provided 114 Love Gift food boxes and M.O.R.E. provided 125.
The Marine Corps Toys For Tots packing and distribution was handled at the M.O.R.E. Center on the week-end of December 20. It was amazing to see students from the various Marengo schools attack the mountain of toys and made short order out of chaos. Sunday the 21st was bitterly cold and flexibility was necessary to bring our clients indoors in the very cramped isles of toys and gifts. In all, 167 families, almost 400 kids, received toys from the program. Thanks Marines! At the same time, gifts from the Angel Tree program were also distributed at the M.O.R.E. Center. These gifts of clothing, solicited by a group of local business people and under the direction of Leslie Pace, went to 153 appreciative families.
LEVIN'S, A PROVEN FRIEND OF M.O.R.E.
Levin’s Shoes and Dry Goods was honored with a plaque for being a Friend of MORE. Bob Levin accepted a plaque from President Charlie Petrausksis for the sponsoring of a back to school gym shoe and gym clothes program back in August of 2008. MORE is appreciative of businesses such as Levin’s for continuing to support our causes.
GAS AND ELECTRIC BILLS ARE NO PROBLEM
Thanks to a local anonymous business, our gas and electric bills are being paid each month. As you probably know, some of the winter bills get to be quite large. The stress of meeting those obligations has been taken away from us and the Board of Directors is grateful for this Friend of M.O.R.E.
VOLUNTEER LUNCHEON
September 17 marked the date of our volunteer celebration and recognition. M.O.R.E. has more than 120 volunteers working together to make all the wheels turn. The luncheon was hosted by the Board of Directors and the M.O.R.E. Center directors. Bob Botts shared accomplishments, concerns and statistics for the past year as well as future plans.
SALVATION ARMY & M.O.R.E. TEAM UP WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES
The M.O.R.E. Center was abuzz on Monday, August 11, with 88 children receiving back packs and school supplies. Thanks to the Salvation Army and local donations, our neediest children will be starting school with most of the classroom supplies requested by the schools and they get to carry them in style. Mary Ann Kawall, our Salvation Army Extension Director, and Chris Botts were delighted in watching the excited children waiting to receive their supplies, including tooth brushes.
The children’s parents also received a M.O.R.E. voucher of twenty-five dollars to Levin’s Shoes and Dry Goods. The voucher is to be used for the purchase of gym shoes or gym clothes. Thanks Bob Levin.
All of us at the M.O.R.E. Center want to thank the Salvation Army volunteers, Prairie Community Bank, Levin’s, and many citizens for their participation in our back to school program.