Chapter Members Give Generously to Every1can [1] Food Drive

Over $110 in cash donations and 4 boxes of non-perishable food items were collected for the Greater Chicago Food Depository at the December 3, 2008 Holiday Party.  Collected items included peanut butter, canned tuna, canned chicken, rice, beans, pasta, oatmeal and many soups and stews. 

A big thank you to everyone who gave generously! 

SLA Cares Objectives:
SLA Illinois Cares is for any member who is interested in volunteering in the greater Chicagoland and Downstate areas.  The time commitment is up to each individual.  At least once a year a fundraising activity or group volunteer outing will be planned so that our organization can come together and show our enthusiasm and care for our community. 

• Provide chapter members with volunteer opportunities.
• A time to give back to the communities in which we live and work.
• Focus on others and help ourselves to gain perspectives on our own lives in relation to the world around us.
• It just feels good to do something positive for someone else!

If you would like to suggest an SLA Cares activity or event, please contact Kim Whalen at (219) 989-2947 or whalenk@calumet.purdue.edu [2].

Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD):  http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org [3]
From their website, "The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago’s food bank, is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 600 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters to 500,000 adults and children every year. Last year, the Food Depository distributed more than 46 million pounds of nonperishable food and fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of more than 95,000 meals every day."

SLA Cares collected over $110 and 4 boxes of non-perishable food items for GCFD at the December 3, 2008 holiday party.  SLA Cares and the Chicago Area Law Librarians (CALL) collected over $120 and 105 pounds of non-perishable food items for GCFD at the January 18, 2007 SLA/CALL joint meeting.  SLA Cares also collected over $140 and 5 boxes of non-perishable food items for GCFD at the December 6, 2005 holiday party. 

Reach Out and Read:  http://www.reachoutandread.org/about.html [4]
From their website, "Reach Out and Read makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care so that children grow up with books and a love of reading. Reach Out and Read trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from six months to five years of age. A special focus is placed on children growing up in poverty. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, Reach Out and Read helps families and communities cultivate early literacy skills so that children enter school prepared to succeed at reading."

SLA Cares and the Chicago Area Law Librarians (CALL) collected hundreds of books for Reach out and Read and Book Work Angels at the January 18, 2008 SLA/CALL joint meeting. 


World Computer Exchange:  http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org [5]
In early 2006, SLA became a strategic ally of the WCE.  From their website, "World Computer Exchange (WCE) provides computers and support services in education, environment, and economic development to help connect more youth to the Internet through our 445 formal Partners in 64 developing countries... We are North America's largest non-profit provider of used computers to help connect youth in developing countries... We have connected to the Internet 1,045,060 youth in 2,478 schools, orphanages, and centres through our delivery of over 25,000 donated computers..."


Other Web sites for Volunteer Opportunities

• http://www.chicagocares.org/ [6] - Chicago Cares
• http://www.illinoisclicks.org/about [7] - Illinois CLICKS!
• http://www.volunteersofamerica.org/ [8] - 105 years of helping people
• http://www.dressforsuccess.org/ [9] - Dress for Success
• http://www.fpdcc.com/ [10] - Forest Preserve of Cook County
• http://www.networkforgood.org/index.html [11] - Network for Good
• http://www.sheddnet.org/ [12] - Shedd Aquarium
• http://www.strength.org/ [13] - Share Our Strength
• http://www.heifer.org/ [14] - Heifer Project
• http://dmoz.org/ [15] - Open Directory Project
• http://www.treehouseanimals.org/ [16] - Tree House Animal Foundation
• http://www.rfbd.org/Units/Illinois_Unit.htm [17] - Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
• http://www.women-everywhere.org/ [18] - Women Everywhere
• http://www.oldtownschool.org/ [19] - Old Town School of Folk Music
• http://www.networkchicago.com/about.htm [20] - WTTW TV
• http://www.literacychicago.org/ [21] - Literacy Chicago
• http://www.habitat.org/ [22] - Habitat for Humanity
• http://www.aspca.org/ [23] - ASPCA local, state and national volunteer opportunities
• http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=205&srcid=417&chid=16 [24] - Room to Read, Chicago Chapter