Lazarus
House-Our Helping Hand to the Homeless
They need our help! We need your help!
Lazarus House, located in St. Charles, began in June 1997 to serve
the homeless and at-risk in mid-Kane County. Last year, 297 men, women,
and children were helped at Lazarus House. Daily services available
at Lazarus House include 3 meals a day, shower and laundry facilities,
personal hygiene items, rental assistance and case management. Education
and employment services are available in the learning lab.
UUSG has supported this work with financial contributions as well
as volunteer efforts from members and friends. Lazarus House serves
meals to as many as 65 people a night. On the first Saturday of each
month UUSG volunteers help by
providing dinner, bag lunches, and an overnight assistant to the paid
staff.
We need your help!
Volunteer
opportunities for the first Saturday of each month:
- Prepare
bag lunches and bring them to Lazarus House
-
Prepare dinner, including entrée, salad, sides, and dessert
- Stay
overnight, along with the Lazarus House night manager
- Pay
for ingredients for lunches or dinners.
Note:
Unless other arrangements are made, the people making the lunches
or dinner provide the ingredients. However, some people would like
to prepare dinner, but cannot afford to pay for the ingredients, while
other people would like to donate money or do the shopping rather
than prepare dinner. We will match people as needed and possible.
The
sign-up sheet for volunteers is located in Clipboard Center (in the
northern section of the west wall of the Common Room). For more information,
email lazarus@uusg.org.
Instructions
for volunteers
Recipe ideas
Directions
to Lazarus House
INSTRUCTIONS SHEET FOR LAZARUS HOUSE VOLUNTEERS
Location:
Lazarus House (630) 587-2144 is at the Free Methodist Church, 214
Walnut St., St. Charles. It is one block west and one block south
of the intersection of Routes 31 and 64. Please use the door on 3rd
Street; there is a sign for Lazarus House above the door.
Dinner:
Those making dinner should collaborate together to prepare a dinner
for 60 people, an entrée plus whatever sides you choose, such
as salad, rolls, and vegetables. Lazarus House often has donated meats
and a supply of disposable containers that you can use, so you might
call them (number above) to see what you can pick up from them. You
choose the recipe and sides; simple and inexpensive is fine. Grilled
hamburgers or tuna casseroles are a treat. Bring the dish in disposable
containers to the shelter, hot and ready to eat. Dinner is served
at 7 p.m.; you can bring the dinner then or a little earlier.
Lunches:
Each month, UUSG needs to supply 60 sack lunches, each containing
a drink (soda or juice box), a sandwich (your choice of filling),
and any other goodies you’d like to provide, such as chips,
cookies, pickles, fruit, veggies, etc. Bring the sandwiches and any
other items that need to be kept cool separately, as they will be
refrigerated. Items that don’t need refrigeration can be placed
in individual lunch bags. If there are two people signed up for lunches,
please collaborate. Bring the lunches to Lazarus House some time between
7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday evening. They are open earlier, in
case you need to drop lunches off before 7 p.m.
Night
Supervision: Please come to the shelter at 9:00 p.m. Dress
in comfortable clothing and be prepared to spend the night. A staff
person will be with you for the night and you should be able to get
6 or 7 hours sleep. You will be able to leave at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.
If you need help with the Night Supervision, call Peter Coe, who might
be able to arrange for someone to join you in spending the night.
ADDITIONAL
NOTES: Save your receipts for items that you buy for Lazarus
House. You can claim these as in-kind charitable contributions on
your taxes. If you have questions about any of the volunteer activities,
or if you have suggestions that you would like to pass on, email
lazarus@uusg.org.
