During this season of hope and goodwill, we at LOVE are very grateful for all the support we have received throughout the year from generous people like you.   It is good to know that we can count on your support to continue to serve the needy in DuPage County. 

We recently received a very touching thank you note from someone we helped in the early part of 2005.  She wrote, “I can’t say thank you enough for tangibly showing me the Love of God.  I have never fallen on hard times before. Because of people like you, I got back on my feet and even started a business this summer.  Thank you so much!”   It is notes like this that make our work here at LOVE all the more enjoyable.  To know that our help got someone back on their feet and productive again is very rewarding. At the same time, it reaffirms our faith in God. 

Another note we received was simply stated, but was just as appreciated.  A young man we helped with rent wrote, “Thank you again for all your help.  I don’t know what I would have done without it.  I’m grateful.”   Again, reaffirmation for our work here and our belief in God. 

We were able to help a single woman who had major health problems.  She was spending the majority of her Social Security benefits on a special diet. This put her behind in her rent.  We were able to provide $250 in rental assistance.  We received a heartfelt thank you from her.  She stated that her health has improved and she will be able to spend less money for her special diet.  She said, ”May God bless everyone on your staff.”

We were also able to help a single mother with one child with a rent payment of $250.  She had lost her full-time job and her hours were cut at her part-time job.  She was waiting for her unemployment benefits to begin.  Our rental assistance helped her fill the gap until her finances improved.

Our volunteers were busy referring people to the Toy Express program.  We provide names of our past clients to Toy Express who then contacts them to participate in their program.  The clients come to the toy distribution site and pick out toys for their children.  Each child receives three toys, a stuffed animal and book.  This is a very rewarding experience for our volunteers to be a part of the process.