Open Arms Mission is a 501(c)(3) holistic community organization providing daily living necessities
while encouraging self-sufficiency for individuals and families in need.
State of the Mission
A special thanks to each of you that assisted Open Arms Mission in providing food, milk and daily living necessities for over 44,000 individuals in 2011. With your monetary and volunteer assistance, throughout the year we provided 100 weekly Back Packs of weekend food for at-risk school children, Easter Baskets for 800 children and 350 seniors, 375 pre-packaged School Supply Kits, 527 Thanksgiving Meal Boxes, 466 Christmas Meal Boxes along with Christmas Gifts for 628 children.
2011 was quite a year, the economy still challenging so many at all economic levels. We continue to meet new families each week that are out of work, adult children and grandchildren moving in with parents on fixed incomes, families faced with health challenges that deplete their funds and families that cannot keep up with the high energy costs. The economy has affected all of us. For the first time Open Arms Mission experienced donations not keeping up with the increased need. In 2010 our weekly average of 257 families gradually rose this fall to 322.
Now as we move in to 2012, it is hard to judge the number of families we will assist. We all know the need is still here, so we will work together continuing our Open Arms tradition, neighbor helping neighbor.
Here is how you can help within the community…
DOES YOUR COMPANY MATCH DONATIONS ? If they do, you can double and sometimes triple your original donation. In 2011 each dollar spent with the Northern IL Food Bank purchased 9 pounds of food, if you donate $100.00 and your company matches $100.00 we can purchase 1800 pounds of food! If you donate $100.00 toward the Weekend Back Pack Program and your company matches $100.00, you can provide 13 children a month’s worth of child friendly food for their weekend.
Or maybe your company has a grant specifically for food, household items or family counseling – please let us know.
WEEKEND BACK PACK PROGRAM for 100 local students is an ongoing program during the school months providing child friendly meals and snack items for children who are at risk for meals when not at school. Visit our website to view an article on Child Food Insecurity to learn why we feel the importance to make food available for the children identified in their school as at-risk. Your cash donation of $15.00 can help feed a neighborhood child for the month.
GROUP NIGHT SPONSORSHIP is made up of community members gathered through their church or organization who staff our distribution nights and Thursday delivery – Thank you to Allendale, Antioch Moose Lodge, Beautiful Savior, Christian Life Fellowship, Curves of Antioch, Interact Club of District 117, Northbridge Church, Rotary Club of Antioch, St. Ignatius Episcopal, St. Mark Lutheran, St. Peter Catholic, St Raphael Catholic, St. Stephen Lutheran, we could not distribute to the 322 families each week without your help!! Thank you for the many hours… We are in need of a small group of 5 for the first Tuesday of each month between the hours of 4:15pm and 6:30pm.
WISH LIST
...As a neighbor, continue to respect those in need rather than judge their decisions or situation
… If you have a resource for any office supplies other than retail, it would help reduce our administrative costs
...If you belong to a church or organization that can commit to helping with the first Tuesday distribution between 4:15pm and 6:30pm each month, we need a small group of about 5
...Periodically check openarmsmission.org website for updates
...Should you have a question, concern or comment call and discuss with Marytherese
OPEN ARMS MISSION 2011 NUMBERS
- 11 years serving Antioch and Lake Villa Townships
- Open for distribution Tu-W-Th 4:30 – 6:30pm
- Clients are welcome weekly, families receive 2 days of food based on family size
- Distribute 160 gal & 81 ½ gal of milk each week
- Average 322 families served each week equaling over 44,000 individuals
- Deliver to the homebound (includes 6 senior subsidized home locations)
- 2010 served an average 257 weekly
- Provide 100 Back Packs of food for local students considered at risk for weekend food
- Food is purchased from Northern IL Food Bank, $1.00 buys 9 lbs of food
- Weekly food donations come from Piggly Wiggly, Jewel, Walmart
- Food donations provided by families, churches and organizations throughout the year
- We receive free EFP food, Emergency Food Program from USDA (dist. By IL based on our distribution numbers)
- 24 volunteers serve each distribution night
- 16 volunteers delivering weekly to homebound
- 12 volunteers stock shelves on Tuesday and Thursday pack delivery boxes
- 4 volunteers pick up store donations weekly
- 4 part time office volunteers
- OAM has 5 Board Members
- 95% of our contributions are community based
Remember...every $1 given to Open Arms Mission can purchase 9 pounds of food.
You can donate online or by sending a check to Open Arms Mission, P.O. Box 79, Antioch, IL 60002.
Thank you. Your continued support is the success of our programs, The Volunteers at Open Arms Mission
