I have been a volunteer for this organization for some time now and I am continually amazed by how…read moremany lives are positively impacted by the efforts of such a small group. Small activities like their backpack drive in August and the Toy Drive in December reach hundreds of kids in McHenry County. What;s more, they are 100 volunteer driven, so every dime goes to fund their programming and community outreach. April is Child Abuse Awareness month and the group kicks of the Blue Ribbon Campaign with events and activities for the whole family, ending with a charity 5K race to benefit the organization. Volunteers are always needed and are a big part of what makes this group so special. It's an example of what a few dedicated people can do together- have a huge impact on the community! From the web site: It's Our Little Secret (IOLS) is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers dedicated to providing a voice to emotionally, physically, and sexually abused children and teens through advocacy, creative expression and various programs. It is IOLS' mission to promote a healthy recovery for the abused children and youth, and to stop the destructive future behavioral patterns of the abused towards their own and other children. It's Our Little Secret's goal is to make a difference in the lives of the children and youth through our various programs and services. It is our goal that the youth that we serve will learn to love themselves and enjoy life, learn to LIVE and not just survive.

Live theater - enjoyed 3 plays this season: On Golden Pond, Forever Plaid and Blithe Spirit. All…read moreacting was wonderful, dinners were tasty and i enjoyed the experiences. Thanks, Steve, for pulling this together and giving us high quality for a low price.

From the owner: We raise money for other charities by presenting full-scale dinner-theatre productionsread more

Mane in Heaven is a truly special organization. Not only is what they do incredibly special, but…read morethe volunteers are very special too. Everyone is very friendly, welcoming, and compassionate. You can really tell these volunteers love what they do.

From the owner: Mane in Heaven was incorporated in Feb 2012 and received 501c3 nonprofit status in December 2012…read more Our miniature therapy horses were in training that first year. Our 4 minis became registered as Pet Partner therapy horses in May 2013 and we started making visits in June 2013. We continue to grow and recently added 2 baby minis, therapy horses in training!

Our daughter really enjoyed the winter break art camp! I was also impressed with the projects she…read morehad created there!

We had our daughter's 9th birthday celebration here. They had a great time, and make a super cute…read morepainting. The staff was kind, patient, and creative! We would definitely recommend a party here.

This pantry is filled with love and support! It is supported by the community for the community!read more

Today, I was denied food because I didn't have my ID card that was given to me last time I was…read morethere. The lady in charge spoke to me in front of other people, like I was a child. She ordered me to go back to my car and look for the card. I tried explaining that I must have lost it. Then she told me to go home and look for it and then come back. She said I could not get any food without that card. I felt berated and humiliated. I went back to my car and cried. I am 69 yrs old and I can't believe a person working for a Community service would treat someone like this. Is it her food? What right does she have to decide who gets food and who doesn't. I've only been there 2 or 3 times because I hate asking for help, but I really could have used some food today. I will never go back there again. I would rather go without than ask for food again.

I found our puppy through pet finder and was able to see that he was from K9's4U. We submitted our…read moreapplication and inquired about the dog we were looking at from this litter. They responded pretty quick and told us the pups were going to be at an event they were hosting. They gave us the times, days and location. We went and got to meet him and ask any questions we had and then were able to make our decision and follow thru with the adoption. The process was very easy and they walked through all the steps wonderfully. It never felt rushed. We were able to get our pups paperwork and vet records up to that point. The rescue covers the cost of the neuter/spay if the pup is not yet fixed which was very nice. The process of scheduling that was very simple. The team and K9's4u is so helpful and kind. We love our pup so much and would definitely recommend adopting thru this rescue!

Live by their house. Dogs ate left outside barking in bad weather elements. It's heart breaking.read more

This is a food bank for the poor and in need and they accept volunteers all the time to help with…read morethe massive work of sorting donated food to be distributed to those in need. You can come on a weekend and work in their warehouse of food and sort the food by dates to make sure old food or opened packages don't get sent to those in need by mistake. Old food (that is close to the sell by date) is sent to the local zoos to help defray costs and waste.

From the owner: Our vision at Northern Illinois Food Bank is for everyone in Northern Illinois to have the food…read morethey need to thrive. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and proud member of Feeding America, we serve our neighbors in 13 counties with dignity, equity and convenience, providing 250,000 meals a day. We bring together manufacturers, local & corporate grocers, area farmers, corporations, foundations, and individuals who donate food and funding, and each week volunteers help us evaluate, repack, and distribute food. We also proudly partner with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth & senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food & resources. Distribution centers are located in Geneva, Park City, Rockford and Joliet.

What a beautiful place, in spirit and aesthetics! The place has so much to offer people with…read morespecial needs and the surrounding community. Gigi's has one on one tutoring, a small gym, and classrooms for specified learning. Gigi's was named after the owners daughter, where she is strong influence on the facility and its visitors. Careful, it could bring a tear to your eye .

Went with my husband for some gelato and to check the place out bc I heard such great things they…read moredo for individuals with down syndrome and their families. GiGis is the center and next door is the gelato/ coffee shop. The shop is bright and welcoming . There are paintings dome by the workers on the wall, they make and sell mugs and water bottles there too ( which are beautiful ) the workers are SO friendly and sweet as can be. They told us their names and we introduced ourselves to all of them. They have a great seating area filled with booths, chairs, and couches . You cAn have your birthday, book club meetings, and more there too. If you are ever in the area, stop in and get yourself some gelato or a shake and support a great cause . I have the mint chip gelato and my husband got the reeses pb cut shake. Both were GREAT , cant wait to go back again:)

Did you ever wonder what you can do to make a difference? I know I have. One of my passions since I…read morewas a child was Foster Care. I did a lot of research on that topic in college and wrote my undergraduate thesis on Foster Care. I always wanted to do something more... This year a wonderful movie came out, Instant Family. At the end of the movie, a link went up on the screen telling the audience that if they want to help a foster child to check out the link. That's how I found CASA and I am so lucky that I did. I remember walking into the building for the very first time for my interview with one of the trainers. I was nervous and excited, not knowing what to expect. On my drive back home, my friend called and asked me how the interview went. The first word that came into mind was inspiring. That's a strange word to describe an interview, but that was the one word that kept coming to mind every time I talked about it. We had 40 hours of intense training, split into twice a week sessions starting mid April. Living in Chicago, it was quite a long drive to get to Vernon Hills. However, after every session I felt blissfully happy and inspired. Mondays and Wednesday became my favorite days. The training sessions included videos, presentations, speakers and super interesting activities. We were put on an emotional rollercoaster and given tools to become the best advocates we could be. At the end of our 40 hour session, we were sworn in in-front of a judge and became official Court Appointed Special Advocates and assigned our first case. Thank you to the amazing staff at CASA Lake County who make a difference in people's lives. Thank you Debra for training me to become the best advocate I can be, Monica for becoming my advocate manager, Brendan for having me join Young Professionals Board; Margaret, Shannon, Elizabeth, Laura, Debby for being guest speakers and wonderful resources if we ever needed anything. Sherri for being so friendly when we went to visit court to observe. Of course, thank you Terri for managing this incredible organization for so many year. If you want to learn more about how you can help a child and have an unforgettable, one of a kind volunteer experience, you should check CASA Lake County out. I bet you won't be disappointed. :)

From the owner: CASA Lake County is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and…read moreneglected children within the juvenile court system. Based on the belief that every child is entitled to a safe and permanent home, thoroughly trained CASA volunteers work in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel and community resources to serve as the child's advocate and represent the child's best interest in juvenile court.