Compassion for Campers Joins Service Event for the Homeless

Compassion for Campers, the program that provides camping gear and equipment to the McHenry County unhoused, is proud to join a new comprehensive service event, Community Empower Shower on Friday, June 25 from 10:00 am to 3 pm at Willow Crystal Lake, 100 S. Main St. in Crystal Lake, that will greatly expand the range of services to our friends and clients. It is expected to become a regular, monthly event.

Because this new event will reach more of our clients, Compassion of Campers is suspending monthly distributions at rotating church sites in Crystal Lake, McHenry, and Woodstock. We will continue to offer supplies at Warp Corps, 114 Benton St. in Woodstock, for daily walk-up availability.

The Empowerment Shower is a collaborative effort of many organizations and agencies including the Crystal Lake Food Bank, Community Credit Counseling, Home of the Sparrow, Live 4 LALI, McHenry County Housing Authority, Pioneer Center, Veterans Path to Hope, Willow Crystal Lake, and Warp Corps.

Among the many services that will be offered at no cost are:

• Mobil showers
• Laundry Facilities
• Camping Supplies including Tent, Stove, Sleeping Bags!
• Toiletries/Personal Care items
• Clothing
• Onsite Meal
• Food
• Haircuts
• Transportation
• Assistance obtaining IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards
• Assistance with SSI/SSDI (Disability)
• Assistance with Medical coverage, SNAP, TANF
• Medical Access—Doctor care, Covid-19 vaccine
• Debt Management Services/Advocacy
• Shelter and Housing Referrals and Linkage
• Domestic Violence support
• Veteran’s Services
• Substance Use/Harm Reduction Tools and Support
• Mental Health, Spiritual, and Social Support Referrals

Contributions to support Compassion for Campers including building reserves for emergency hotel rooms during cold and snow emergencies this winter can be made by sending a check made out to Tree of Life UU Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050 with Compassion for Campers on the memo line. The donations are placed in a dedicated fund and not used for any other purpose. Tree of Life also donates all the administrative expenses of the program so 100% of all donations go directly to client assistance.