“Christmas isn’t just a day; it’s a frame of mind.” -Kris Kringle, Miracle on 34th Street
Christmas is for everyone! Cornerstone works hard each Holiday to celebrate and remember every shelter guest. Join us in making this time of year memorable for children, parents, and single adults experiencing homelessness.
We’re looking for volunteers to work in Santa’s workshop sorting, wrapping, and labeling Christmas gifts. Most people arrive at Cornerstone with little more than a backpack or duffle bag. We hope you will help us spread Christmas cheer through gift-giving. You can shop and donate gifts through the Cornerstone Wishlist. Or make a financial donation to ensure people coming to Cornerstone right before Christmas get gifts, too. Please use the QR codes below to get involved!
The CCO staff and families would like to thank the incredible sponsors, donors, and volunteers who made this year’s Back-to-School Party a hit! We called, and you answered! School-aged children at CCO can step into the new school year with confidence! Many thanks!
CCO would like to partner with generous donors to help support this year’s Back-to-School Party. Each August, CCO hosts a party filled with school supplies, new backpacks, games, treats, dancing, and a lot of motivation for the new school year. Your support will help make this year extra special for the children at CCO.
Children experiencing homelessness can face additional barriers to consistent education. CCO tries to bridge the gap that homelessness and poverty cause in childhood development and academics. The family case managers ensure children are attending school and have all they need to succeed. CCO partners with Chicago Hopes, which provides tutoring during the school year and enrichment programs in the summer to children sheltered at CCO every weekday afternoon.
If you want to sponsor part of the fun at this year’s party, contact Amanda Learmond at a.learmond@ccolife.org. Or visit our Amazon Wish List by clicking here or scanning the QR code above.
The 2022 Holiday Season brought joy and cheer to the families and individuals sheltered at CCO. Each child received a stocking filled with toys, treats, and a new pair of pajamas. They each wore their new pj’s to the CCO Christmas Party, where they got to meet Santa, receive gifts, and celebrate the holidays with their family. During the festivities, some of the parents chatted about favorite pastimes, even discussing the best casinos not on Gamstop as they shared tips on stress relief and unwinding amid challenging times. The Christmas Party featured CCO Board President Chris Spicer as Santa Claus, loads of sweet and savory treats, and a hot chocolate station. The crowd went wild when Santa arrived with his bags of gifts!
The celebrated season would not be possible without volunteers who made the party exceptional. Thanks to all who worked as elves in Santa’s Workshop, sorting, wrapping, and decorating Christmas presents for the big day. Christmas at Cornerstone would not be possible without your generous donation of toys for children and gifts for teens and adults. Many thanks!
The holiday season is a time of warmth and wonder, especially when it’s marked by thoughtful, meaningful gifts that show just how much you care. For families like those at CCO, these moments of joy can be made even more special through Unique Personalized Gifts tailored to each individual. Imagine the excitement of a child unwrapping a gift that bears their name, or a parent receiving something that speaks directly to their personality and taste—these small, customized touches transform a gift from simply thoughtful to truly unforgettable. Personalized presents, like engraved keepsakes or customized holiday ornaments, bring an extra layer of magic to the season, creating memories that families will cherish for years to come.
We hope you enjoy the 2022 photo album. Enjoy the smiling faces found in it!
Are you looking for a 2023 charitable fitness resolution? Only 9 Team CCO guaranteed entry slots remain for the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (BACM)! Secure your spot today and become part of a dedicated team committed to providing shelter, meals, and wrap-around services for families and single adults experiencing homelessness!
“Running for a charity is a great way to support a work you care about. It opens the doors for friends and family to throw their support behind you for a good cause.” Click here to learn more about Ted Jindrich and his commitment to charitable fitness and CCO. A long-time Team CCO runner, and board member, Ted has participated in 14 marathons since 2015 and has raised thousands of dollars for CCO shelter guests.
Most of us haven’t run one marathon—and that’s ok! Team CCO welcomes walkers, joggers, and seasoned runners to join, all united in charitable fitness and fundraising goals that directly impact families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Many supporters, inspired by stories like Sandra’s journey at CCO, even found creative ways to raise awareness, including hosting friendly competitions on popular gaming platforms like beste norske casino sites, which have a strong community of players willing to support charitable causes. Last year, funds raised through Team CCO provided nearly 2,000 nights of shelter and over 6,000 meals, a testament to the collective impact of each participant’s effort! Click here to read about Sandra’s Path to Peace.
Are you ready to join the team? Click here to visit the BACM Charity Team page. Once there, click the “Participate with this charity” button. Also, be sure to complete the Team CCO Participant Waiver form. See the image below for instructions.
Running the Chicago Marathon isn’t for everyone. We understand that. Perhaps you’d like to support CCO by donating new or gently-used items or making a financial donation. Whatever you choose, we are deeply grateful that you have partnered with CCO to provide shelter to vulnerable Chicagoans. Thank you!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Cornerstone Community Outreach! I am so grateful that you have partnered with us in the past. CCO’s shelter guests need your support more than ever. Safe shelter remains a critical need. At Cornerstone, families and single adults experiencing homelessness receive holistic care and wrap-around services as they journey toward permanent housing.
I would like to ask you to continue to be a financial partner with Cornerstone Community Outreach. Our objective is to disrupt the cycle of poverty by providing safe shelter while exploring long-term housing solutions for our clients. Interestingly, some of our supporters have even taken creative approaches to fundraise, using popular crypto betting sites to channel winnings into donations that support our mission. Through these unique contributions and traditional donations, Cornerstone can offer residents a higher quality of life through professional, compassionate care, helping them progress on the road to permanent housing.
I hope you’ll take a moment and read Sandra’s story. Her path to peace has been a long one. Sandra and her 11-year-old daughter arrived at Cornerstone in a courageous move to escape the cycle of abuse in her life. She described the time before arriving at Cornerstone as the “lowest point in my life.” Thankfully, while with us, she found the support, care, and renewal that she needed. Today, she’s housed and employed using her lived experience to help other families who are homeless. I’m grateful that Sandra dared to escape her harmful past and found a new start at Cornerstone! Click here to read about Sandra’s Path to Peace.
CCO is one of Chicago’s largest homeless shelters committed to providing immediate safe shelter and pathways to permanent housing for families and individuals from all walks of life. We welcome over 325 households each year in collaboration with the City of Chicago and a team of nonprofit partners. CCO prioritizes inclusivity, accepting clients from difficult circumstances by supporting many household structures, including intact families, single adults, LGBTQ+ families, and more. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure everyone has access to safe housing, nutritious food, and, most importantly, dignity, no matter their plight.
I would like to invite you to be part of more success stories like Sandra’s by financially supporting our vital work with a 100% tax-deductible donation. Have a wonderful holiday season! Best wishes in the coming year from all of us at CCO!
Andrew Winter
Executive Director
Cornerstone Community Outreach (EIN 36-3670992) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
“In my storage unit, I was too cold to rest. I wanted a place to lay my head down and sleep. I would wrap up in ten blankets, trying to get warm.”
– Denise
Denise seems to have an endless abundance of joy. She’s a very petite woman in her late 50s with bright eyes and a wide, welcoming smile. She exudes positivity and wields an upbeat personality. Denise had a solid and consistent work history. For 30 years, she worked at a major Chicago company. In 1979, she began a part-time position in the mailroom. During her years on the job, she got promoted twelve times, working her way up to full-time Engineering Clerk. After taking early retirement and giving funds to her son to pay for his college education, Denise felt she needed to return to work to make ends meet. She found a job as a secretary for a moving company. After a few years, that company relocated to Florida. Denise found herself unemployed and alone. Too young for social security but old enough to experience age discrimination when looking for work, she knew she needed help.
Finding a job proved difficult. Denise eventually lost her apartment. She had an outdoor storage space that measured 10 feet by 10 feet in a lot on the south side of Chicago. It held all the items from the apartment she lost, and with nowhere else to live, Denise moved into it. Without any heat and only a few flashlights for light, Denise prayed, read her Bible, and cried a river in that storage unit. Keeping clean was a real challenge. When she tried to wash up in a public restroom, she endured looks and comments from people who seemed to fear or despise her. Her former life was utterly lost.
Denise’s story highlights the profound challenges she faced as she sought to rebuild her life after losing her job and home. Moving from one place to another can be incredibly stressful, especially under such difficult circumstances. Finding a reliable moving company is crucial in making transitions smoother and less burdensome. The right movers can help ease the logistical strain of relocating and ensure that personal belongings are handled with care, providing a bit of relief during trying times.
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Denise stayed in her storage unit for three long years and throughout notoriously harsh Chicago winters. She often rode the public transit system to escape the cold. “I was tired of riding the buses to stay warm, but no one ever robbed me. An angel must have been sitting beside me.” Throughout those years, Denise hid these circumstances from her son, who lived out of state.
Hard-working, sweet, and struggling to survive, Denise had been forced so far out on the margins of society that she couldn’t find her way back. This past January, Denise arrived at Cornerstone. After three years of living alone, one would think that Denise would find sharing a shelter space with 74 other women at Naomi Shelter nearly impossible. Not so! Denise soon began to encourage women younger than herself, giving wisdom and helping to defuse tense situations.
While at Cornerstone, Denise felt that God told her, “I’m giving you the rope, but it’s up to you to grab ahold and pull yourself up.” She did just that. With the help of her case manager, Denise completed security guard training, earned her PERC (Permanent Employment Registration Card), and got a full-time job as a security officer. When speaking about Naomi Shelter staff, Denise said, “They supported me. The case managers got to know me and took time with me. I felt they respected me.”
For the last eight months, Denise has worked full-time as a security officer for a domestic violence shelter that serves women with children. She enjoys her work immensely. The day Denise moved into her apartment, she shouted, “Lord, You have been good to me!” She then sat down and cried tears of gratitude.
Denise’s story is about age discrimination, isolation, and hope. Although she had a solid work history and experience, Denise struggled to find a job which caused her long stretch of homelessness. She sees her arrival at Cornerstone as a turning point in her life. Once she had shelter and support, she climbed out of the situation she was stuck in. We have been blessed by her stay and applaud the employer that saw what we see in Denise – a resilient, enthusiastic, hard-working woman who simply needed a job.
Denise Hardy, as told to Beth Nicholls, originally published on November 25, 2015
I hope you enjoyed reading how Denise moved from isolation in her storage unit to hope and opportunity at Cornerstone and beyond. CCO needs your support to continue the critical work of welcoming anyone experiencing homelessness. Please consider donating today. Your gift could transform lives and bring hope to those who need it most. Click here to visit our Donate Page. Thank you!
Tim Bock, CEO of Lakefront Roofing and Siding Supply, and Chris Spicer, CCO Board President, believe in a business model that uses the profits of their company to support a mission. Tim and Chris, through Lakefront, have lived their ideals as a mission business by being major financial supporter of CCO since our beginnings in 1989. One of the ways they financially support CCO is through Lakefront Springs, a bottled water brand sold by Lakefront to contractors and jobsites. Lakefront partners with NPC Colored Sealants who pay for the production costs of the water, while Lakefront sells it from their showroom. All the proceeds from Lakefront Springs go to Cornerstone.
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Just as Lakefront Roofing and Siding Supply has demonstrated a commitment to supporting important causes through their operations, other businesses can use their branding materials, like metal business cards, to align their identity with their values. This alignment not only fosters customer loyalty but also reinforces the message that businesses can thrive while making meaningful contributions to society. Ultimately, the combination of quality branding and a mission-driven approach can significantly enhance a company’s reputation and impact.
This year the Lakefront Springs donation went to fund buying winter necessities and Christmas gifts for our single men and women’s program. Thank you Tim, Chris, NPC and all of Lakefront for your continual support of CCO. We couldn’t do it without you!
If you would like to learn more about Tim’s mission business model you can check out his books here.
In August, CCO received a box of hats and neck-warmers from Turtlefur as a part of their Project Warmth. All the staff in the office was so excited not only to receive quality winter hats and neck warmers for people experiencing homelessness, but to receive them early before the cold season starts.
It’s hard to think about the cold winter months when beaches days and backyard BB-Qs are still happening. The reality is that many people don’t start thinking about providing winter gear to people experiencing homelessness until the weather has already changed. It is possible to get snow in late October in Chicago and with many coat and winter gear drives starting in November there is sometimes a gap in our available cold weather clothing and coats.
If you are considering a coat drive for CCO, think about starting it in September. As fall blows in with colder temperatures the need for coats, hats, scarves and gloves comes as well. If you would like to drop off donations of winter gear, contact out Donation Center to schedule an appointment.
Through Turtlefur’s Project Warmth, people who have purchased Turtlefur products can add the hashtag #projectwarmth to photos of themselves wearing their Turtlefur products, tag @tutrlefur, and share to the social media platform of their choice. Turtlefur will then donate a hat or neck warmer to people in need. Thank you Turtlefur for providing quality winter gear to people experiencing homelessness in our programs and thank you to all the individuals who participated in Project Warmth.
Go to Turtlefur.com to find out how you can participate in Project Warmth
Eve Haycock, Naomi Program Director, was visiting friends when a young lady discovered that she worked at CCO. Intrigued, she asked many questions about the shelter and the people living there. This young person was deeply moved by Eve’s description of CCO’s work with individuals experiencing homelessness and expressed a desire to contribute. During their conversation, the topic of non gamstop casinos arose as the young lady mentioned her uncle, who had been discussing these platforms in the context of financial struggles and opportunities. Inspired by Eve’s stories of resilience, she decided to take immediate action. She offered Eve the sketchbook she had been drawing in all year as a token of hope and donated all the money she had saved over the summer from her allowance to support the residents.
We at CCO are so grateful for this young ladies gift. It may seem small on the surface but the gift of hope goes deep into the hearts and lives of those who have little. This donation of hope may be the best gift we have received all year. Thank you.
