With Our Gratitude

This past week and this upcoming weekend, we have been hosting extra events as our local part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.  We have called our local campaign #END, looking to END hunger and Homelessness in our neighborhoods and cities.  The Macon County Continuum of Care, Advisory Committee spearheaded the planning of this year's events.

November 14 was Box City on the Campus of Millikin University.  Millkin Students and members of area congregation's youth groups joined together to learn and in a small way, experience a night of homelessness.

November 19, individuals were taken on a different type of trolley tour of the city, heading past many of the agencies which work with hunger and homelessness issues on a daily basis.  Members of our community who had been homeless and now are successfully on the other side shared their stories.

This weekend, a young man as put together a food drive on the west side of town to serve as his Eagle Scout project.  Kudos to Ben Young and his family and friends for taking that service project on.  And on Sunday, First Baptist Church is hosting a concert featuring "Dual Piano" to bring awareness to the issue and to collect warm items.

Thanks to our local media that has shared time to bring some awareness of these issue to their viewers and listeners and readers.

NHHAW is schedule each year the week before Thanksgiving with the thought as before we gather with our friends and families, we take a moment to reflect and do something to help those who find themselves in need.  The week is almost over, but you can check Dove's website to continue to keep informed and to see what events are coming in the months to come.

Thanks to all who made the plans, to all who participated in the events and to the many, many who donated time, talents, funding and items this week.  We are grateful for it all.  And please let us be among the many to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Coats for Kids!

Coats for Kids is collecting coats, gently used and new,  to get into the hands of families in need – warm winter coats for their children.   This is the 23rd  annual drive, cosponsored by Dove, Inc., and WAND-TV.  We want to make it as easy as possible for people to make a donation of a coat.   Coats of all sizes may be dropped off at the following locations, through November 30:

Changing Images Salon and Spa and D&D Custom Woodworking, 1960 S. Taylorville Road, Decatur

Classic Cleaners,  2474 N. Main, Decatur

Corner Cleaning Connection,  1154 E. Prairie Ave., Decatur

CVS,  Monroe & Pershing, Eldorado and Fairview, 16th & Cantrell in Decatur

Decatur Earthmover Credit Union  2600 Dividend Dr., 4855 Aldi Dr.,
260 W. Marion Ave in Forsyth

Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin Street, Decatur

Decatur Township, 1620 Taylorville Road, Decatur

GT Church, 500 S. 27th Street, Decatur

Jane’s Cleaners, 664 W. Eldorado, Decatur          

Jerger Pediatric Dentistry, P.C., 2101 N. Main, Decatur

Krogers,    Airport Plaza, Fairview Plaza, South Shores Plaza, Brettwood

Land of Lincoln Credit Union, East Mound, North Oakland, Aldi Drive Decatur

Longcreek Township, 2610 Salem School road, Longcreek

Macon County Building, 141 S. Main, Decatur

Moweaqua Nursing Home and Retirement Center 525 S. Macon, Moweaqua

Papa Murphy’s  Mound and Rt. 51 South

Peerless Cleaners,  519 N. Monroe, Decatur

Pride Cleaners and Launderers,  2553 N. Main, 1804 E. Eldorado, 912 W. Eldorado, 2056 Mt. Zion Road

Regions, 333 E. Pershing, 2340 Mt. Zion Rd., 350 N. Water,1355 W. King, Decatur

Richland Community College, Decatur

Soy Capital Bank and Trust, --560 E. Pershing, 455 N. Main, 4825 US Route 36, 1685 S. Franklin

St. Teresa High School, 2710 N. Water Street, Decatur

Texas Roadhouse, US 51 North, Forsyth

Waite's Cleaners, 1004 S. Main, Decatur,115 Magnolia, Forsyth

Check your closets and consider the good you can do by donating any coats you no longer need.  

Participating cleaners make sure the coats are ready to be distributed by the participating clothing room:

Northeast Community Fund, 825 N. Water Street, Decatur
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
All sizes

Antioch  Baptist Church, 516 N. Church Street, Decatur
Tuesday, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
All sizes

New Life Pregnancy Center, 1698 E. Pershing Road, Decatur
Mondays, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays,  9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Maternity Clothing and children's clothing infant to 5

Salvation Army, 229 W. Main, Decatur
Monday - Friday, 1:00 to 3:30 PM
All sizes

Dove Clothing Room
Prairie Avenue Christian Church, 2201 E. Prairie, Decatur
Monday - Thursday, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
children's sizes
(adult coats available through coat drive only)

Northwest Christian Church, 1306 N. Stanley Ave., Decatur
Thursdays, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
all sizes

Reasonable Service, 321 E. Leafland, Decatur
Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
all sizes

1,717 coats were distributed to clothing rooms in 2913.  We are hoping to do about 2,200 this year!