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.

This is a great little tool library that I stumbled upon. They have a large assortment of tools…read more Both outdoor and indoor. They tale donations but it is pay as you can. I was able to check out an aerator for a yard project I had. The staff is very friendly and it's a welcoming environment. I highly recommend this tool library. It's great place to check out tools for any project you might run into, and not break the bank.

From the owner: Mundelein Tool Library is an all-volunteer, community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit tool lending…read morelibrary located in Mundelein IL serving all residents of Lake County. Join today and borrow free tools from our growing inventory. We offer a variety of power and hand tools for projects including carpentry, lawn & garden, woodworking, electrical, plumbing, masonry, automotive and much more! What is a 'tool library'? A Tool Library is just like a book library — you can "check out" hardware tools, free of cost. If you don't want to spend the money to buy a tool that'll be used lightly, MTL is perfect for you. We're dedicated to improving the lives of those in our community. Your donations directly fund our mission, and are tax deductible. As part of the sharing economy which prioritizes access over ownership to save money and conserve resources for Lake County residents, the Mundelein Tool Library is a community resource that encourages civic engagement and volunteerism while building skills and relationships.

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.

I have volunteered here several times doing different roles such as sorting and stickering books…read more The facility here is amazing, with an enormous warehouse and the other areas being a great place to socialize as well, surrounded by tons of books, coat area, and lots of Bernie's Book Bank branded items. The staff here is always super friendly and great at helping new volunteers with understanding their roles and how to perform their jobs. If going with a group from work, this is a great way to meet others and socialize, while doing your volunteer job.

I went there for a yelp event. it was calledneon night and it was a fundraiser. I have never been…read morehere prior to it nor was I familiar with it. It seems like a wonderful organization. You can donate books or money, and it helps children that don't have the means to buy books and you donate money or books, and it helps them. The CM of the North Shore suburbs Keisha and her assistant were kind enough to organize this.

What's not to like?…read more You're volunteering for an important cause, it's fun and social, and you're done in about an hour and forty-five minutes. All ages are welcome from 5yo and up and if you are unable to stand, there are other options for serving that allow you to sit. I serve here about 3-4 times a year with my company and I'm taking my family here soon! This is a great Christian-centered organization that you should support, even if you're not Christian. There are also a lot of items for sale that serve as additional donations!

What a great idea and effort to support the less fortunate abroad. It's educational, team fun and…read morerewarding! DO IT!

Not all Goodwills are created equal. We moved from the area nearly two years ago and I truly miss…read morethis Goodwill!! I have been back to visit the area recently and had to visit one of my favorite thrifts. The two Goodwills in my current locale are complete dumps compared to this one, I don't know why they even bother. The reviewers stating the inventory here is lacking don't know how good they've got it! I envy this location and I'm sad I no longer can make a stop when the mood hits. Seriously this is one of the best organized Goodwills I have been in and the amount and quality of inventory is excellent in comparison of my current location. Really there is no comparison. Maybe the people in this area are just more generous in their donating which is a loss for me having moved from there. Sure the prices were sometimes high on certain things, but I have found that to be true of any thrift where they try to sell at eBay prices on select things. Just as with anywhere I shop if I don't like a price I just don't buy it, there are plenty of other bargains to be found. But I can say that I never wondered about a price here as all items are clearly marked. This is not so at my current locale where they have some crazy multicolored hang tag pricing system on clothing and cheap yard sale price stickers on household and non-clothing items. And if ever I needed or wanted something specific or random, 9 times out of 10 I was able to find it here. I have found some true deals here, and I'm not one of those people that buys stuff to resell, I actually only buy what I am personally going to use for myself, kids, or my home. Truly a gem as far as Goodwills go, too bad some just don't know what they've got til it's gone. Really bummed that I am now several hours drive from this Goodwill but when we are back in the area on those rare occasions I definitely plan a stop here.

On Monday, 15 December I visited the Goodwill store in Round Lake Beach, Illinois (Store #088)…read more My visit was pleasant and uneventful...until I went to pay for my items. Employee #180709 performed in what I can only describe as an appallingly rude, discourteous, and unprofessional manner. Employee #180709 did not greet me, did not respond to my greeting, did not speak to me; he simply stood there glaring at me and then handed me the receipt without a word. Employee #180709 presented an attitude of disgust and disdain for my custom, and behaved as though my presence there was offensive. I don't know what I did to warrant this behaviour; I stood in the line quietly, waiting for my turn (there was only one cashier available at 11am), and then greeting him in a friendly manner. Employee #180709 appeared to 'glare' at me as though my presence was an offence to him. Employee #180709 behaved in what I perceived as a bigoted, racially-biased manner, which made my visit there thoroughly unpleasant and made me feel unwelcome. I am very disappointed, disgusted, and displeased by the behaviour of Employee #180709 and do not recommend him or this store to anyone.

We hosted an incredible fundraiser adoption event with Reach Rescue. The space is a perfect blank…read morecanvas to add personal touches. We arranged catering and entertainment that perfectly complemented the program. The space easily accommodates 100+ people, and it was a fantastic experience. Thank you to the volunteers who run the program and all they do for our community. Over 5,600 dogs have been successfully partnered with their forever home with the essential help of Reach Rescue.

Cannot say enough good things about this entire process with Reach Rescue, they are amazing and…read morewe're so blessed to have found Olaf and bring him into our family....thank you Reach Rescue!!

Lots of interesting items to browse and purchase, depending on what you're looking for and…read morereasonably priced. Displays are done well and it's easy to shop there. Enjoyable experience.

Interesting to say the least. Nothing really found here, but there is furniture and lots of square…read morefootage of it.

I love this place!! It's my comfort spot. I can shop in peace and be at peace. It's a great thrift…read morestore, with so many different options to choose from.

Hands down very reasonably priced items as well as being nice quality for a thrift store. Love…read moretheir dollar tent out back.