Green Connect: Giving Warms the Heart Eleven pints of blood were donated on Feb. 23 by area donors at a Versiti Mobile Coach parked in the parking lot of
Old Second Bank on West Countryside Parkway in Yorkville. Te Blood Drive was sponsored by Green Connect, a committee of the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce that
works to promote and ecourage businesses to enhance the environment by using sustainable ecological practices. Green Connect
Chairman Stephanie Roskopf, who helped organize the event, said a Blood Drive just seemed to fit the group’s stated mission. “We are recycling blood.
Roxanne Essex of Essex House Interiors giving blood. Photos by Paul E. Burd Photography
Tere is quite a need for it,” she said. “It was something we could do during this Covid pandemic.”
3:11 PROJECT
102 East Schoolhouse Rd., Yorkville
www.the311project.org Also .on Facebook
Although they are not a Christian organization, their name is a reference to a Bible verse, Luke 3:11, in which the Apostle John says, “... Anyone who has two shirts, share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food, do the same.” Founder and Executive Director Amy Lawler says that is what the 3:11 Project is all about, inspiring the community to show compassion to one another, so nobody struggles alone.
After leaving the corporate world behind and having
more time on her hands, Amy says she began in 2017 going to moms’ Facebook groups and women’s networking groups. Orginally she was able to organize help for local families by providing school supplies and Christmas gifts, but it quickly morphed into a non-profit organization. And then, Amy says, it exploded. In August 2020 the organization moved from
Montgomery to a Yorkville location, where it is continuing to grow. In addition to previous help, it is offering free
From left, Donors Chris Mehochko, Scott Gengler,
with Green Connect Chairmen Stephanie Roskopf and Renee Tortorella at the Blood Drive.
Santillan, MSW, Maureen Franzen, Brittany Krause, Amy Lawler, Dr. Aaron Lawler, Ethan Irvine, and Carmen Iga.
3:11 Advisory Board members at their annual meeting are, from left, Karla Photo courtesy of the 3:11 Project
group classes on finance, resume writing and other needed skills, group therapy sessions for parents, and in May 2021 will begin a mental health program. All are provided by volunteers. Tey also offer food at a micro-pantry and cleaning supplies from a resource closet. Te organization also partners with other charities, school districts, and organizations, working on a referral basis. Amy says they cover the entire Fox Valley area. “If an organization, like Mutual Ground, has a client that needs assistance, like someone needs a car so they can get a job, we’ll get a car and get it to them.” When schools reopen full-time, Amy says they will
return to providing school supplies when needed, and a full Christmas experience, and Easter baskets at Easter. “We’ve seen a lot of need, more than anybody wants
to see. But we’ve also seen more generosity than we’ve ever seen,” she says. “People have been reaching to the end of their resources to help their neighbor and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.” Amy says people interested in volunteering should go to the 3:11 Facebook page and sign on to a volunteer group.
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