Just in time for the holiday season, Cradles to Crayons Chicago (C2C) and Stan’s Donuts team up to help Chicagoland kids stay warm and safe this winter. Now through December 19, Stan’s Donuts is accepting donated new and like-new winter coats, boots, hats, gloves and scarves, warm clothes, and hygiene items at five of their citywide and suburban locations.
Customers are invited to bring an item of clothing to drop in the contactless purple donation box located near the entrance of the Stan’s Donuts location. Most-needed items include winter coats and warm clothing in sizes ranging from newborn to adult medium; winter boots sizes infant/toddler 5 to adult 10; winter hats, gloves, scarves; and pajamas sizes 2T to adult medium.
Drop-Off Locations
Donation items can be dropped off during Stan’s Donuts’ business hours at the following locations:
Oak Brook Terrace (17W615 Butterfield Rd. Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181)
Orland Park (15646 S. LaGrange Rd. Orland Park, IL 60462)
Hyde Park (5225 S. Harper Chicago, IL 60615)
Lakeview North (3300 N. Broadway. Chicago, IL 60657)
Wicker Park (1560 N. Damen Ave. Chicago, IL 60622)
The Stan’s Donuts Collection Drive is part of C2C’s annual “Gear Up for Winter” (GUFW) initiative, a seasonal-long drive that supplies warm winter gear to 54,000 Chicagoland kids whose families struggle just to stay warm. Though the Stan’s Donuts’ Collection Drive runs through December 19, the GUFW initiative runs through March 2022 with drop-off locations throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. All collected items will be distributed to children through C2C’s network of service partners.
Additional information about C2C and the GUFW initiative can be found at https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/chicago/the-latest/events/gearupforwinter/.
Cradles to Crayons launched in Boston in 2002 and currently has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. They supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities.
Cradles to Crayons collects new and high-quality used children’s goods and engages thousands of youth and adults in volunteer activities each year on behalf of local children in need. For more information, visit www.cradlestocrayons.org/chicago.
It’s Giving Season
The holiday season has always been the perfect time to give back to the community. With the harsh winter weather in Chicago, donations from everyone are especially valuable to the vulnerable populations. If you’re looking for ways to help others out, check out the list of soup kitchens and pantries in Chicago currently looking for volunteers, and other fundraisers happening across town.
Featured Image Credit: Stan’s Donuts
