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In this issue: Summer Memories, Support for First-time Parents, Backpack Drive, Golf Outing, Gala, Jobs at Shelter, and more!

Making Memories

Youth in our Emergency Group Homes have experienced difficult journeys. Like all kids, they deserve happy summer memories. It's our job to create them.

Thanks to our supportive community and dedicated staff, this summer is jam-packed with engaging activities for the kids in our care. Here are some highlights:

Getting from here to there has never been more exciting than hiking, biking, paddle boating, swimming, or rock climbing. For Patty, her favorite has been “walks on the beach at sunset.”
Daniel and Dierdre prefer the sporting life playing football, volleyball, basketball, and kickball, and track and field practice with a college student mentor.
Those at our Boys’ Group Home will long remember afternoons on the Slip n Slide in the yard and the taste of their favorite shrimp sizzling on the barbecue.
Bad weather never stops Team Shelter! Indoor fun includes photography, arts and crafts, making jewelry, Wii bowling, and more. Olivia has spent many a happy hour cooking, especially making her favorite cornbread.
Extraordinary adventures have also been on the summer menu, like the visits to the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit The Bias Inside Us and to Six Flag's Great America, and an exciting 4^th of July complete with fireworks, late-night movies, and popcorn.

For some, this summer will be remembered in different ways. As one youth said, “I’ve had a chance to open up more and just be me.” What a beautiful memory to savor!

We always appreciate tickets, passes, and other donations that add so much to their success. For more information, email Zoe at zmcgrath@shelter-inc.org.

We love birthdays!

At our homes, all kids are valued for who they are, and birthdays are a celebration enjoyed by all. Special recognitions and treats from our staff, including homemade strawberry shortcake, add to the festivities! Thank you Families Helping Families Chicago for donating birthday gifts every month to help our children feel loved on their birthdays.

Do you know a new parent who needs support?

Shelter's Healthy Families program is a nationally recognized home visiting program that offers free, one-on-one support for first-time parents who face multiple challenges, starting pre-natally through age five. Healthy Families aims to end the cycle of child abuse and/or neglect by teaching parents fundamental skills such as stress management, effective discipline, health care, and nutrition, while connecting them to critical community resources.

To refer a family, contact Lynn at Lpuckelwartz@shelter-inc.org or 847-595-0235

Help our kids get geared up for school! Sign up to purchase a new backpack and a school supply gift card. Or make a donation and let us do the shopping for you. Together we can get the school year off to a good start!

Donate Now!

Join us for a round at 1:00pm on Tuesday, September 21 at Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club. Enjoy a great day on the course while helping raise critical funds for children and families in crisis. Rounds include lunch, dinner, and open bar. Sign up as an individual or a foursome. Sponsorship opportunities available.

Bunker Hill Farms – Woodstock, IL – September 18th, 2021 – 5:00 pm

Shelter, Inc. has received an exclusive invitation to be part of a private, invitation-only concert featuring country superstar Jake Owen and rock legend Cheap Trick. This is no ordinary concert! You will enjoy an intimate concert setting at a beautiful venue with top-notch service. Best of all, Bunker Hill Charities returns 25% of all tickets and sponsorships sold through Shelter, back to us!

Limited Tickets Available! Purchase Today!

Thank you Village Treasure House for the $12,000 grant and ADP Foundation for the $5,000 grant. We appreciate your continued support of Shelter!

Thank you KeHe Cares Foundation for the $5,000 grant to purchase new furniture for our Emergency Group Homes.

Thank you Betsy’s Blankets for the donation of new bedding for our Emergency Group Homes.

Thank you Youth Support Initiative for the donation of a new automated external defibrillator (AED) for our Emergency Group Home.

Only by working together can we stop the cycle of child abuse and neglect.

Are you interested in a rewarding career in the nonprofit industry? Diverse candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We seek team members who reflect our values of dedication, collaboration, positive attitude, inclusion, and passion.

Learn about available positions at shelter-inc.org: