About the Program
Thank you for making seasons bright for the children in our care this holiday season!
The Holiday Giving Program supports the children in our care by sharing gifts of joy and comfort during the holiday season. You can make a difference this year through one or more of our giving options. To participate in the 2019 Holiday Giving Program, please contact Abby Johnson, Special Events Coordinator at ajohnson@sosillinois.org or by calling 312-372-8200 ext 1012.
As part of the world’s largest non-denominational child welfare organization, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois supports the cultural and religious traditions of every child in our care. The Holiday Giving Program is not tied to any one tradition, but rather to the spirit of love and generosity that many experience during the holiday season.
Giving Options
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Give a Family Gift – Greatest Need
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Give a Family Gift
Our families come in all ages, shapes, and sizes, but one thing we all enjoy is dinner and a movie with the ones we love. Give the gift of a family night out, and help create new, joyful memories.
Our preferred movie theater is AMC.
Complete your family gift with a restaurant gift card for a great family outing. Our favorites are:
- Uber Eats
- Lou Malnati’s & Giordano’s
- Applebees
- Panera Bread
- McDonalds & Wendy’s
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Sponsor a Gift Card or
Winter Wear Drive -
Sponsor a Gift Card or
Winter Wear DriveArrange a drive with your work, school, or worship community. Since our toy needs are taken care of by our “Sponsor a Child” program, please consider collecting gift cards or winter wear instead of toys. Please plan to deliver to us by December 13, 2019, and see our giving guidelines for restrictions.
Gift cards are especially helpful gifts for our teenagers, adult caregivers, and clients. We welcome gift cards in any denomination. Some of our favorites are:
- Amazon
- Target
- Walmart
- Jewel Osco
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Make a Monetary Gift Online
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Make a Monetary Gift Online
Providing your Holiday Giving contribution through a monetary donation is an easy way for you to support children in foster care through the holiday season and the whole year ’round! By giving your gift online today, we are able to meet the needs of any gift wishes from our children and families that are not fulfilled through the Holiday Giving Program, as well as continue providing year-rounded services that keep siblings together, families intact, and communities supported.
Giving through our online form is simple, secure, and the fastest way to move your gift into action! Checks may be mailed to:
Department of Advancement
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
216 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 925
Chicago, IL 60606 -
Sponsor a Child – Spots Fill Fast!
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Sponsor a Child
Choose gifts with a special child in mind! We are happy to share the first name and a few “about me” facts for one or more of the children in our care. Choose from their wish list and donate your unwrapped gifts in time for our Foster Parents and Village staff to prepare them.
Please consider spending between $50-$100 per child or teen, plan to deliver to us by December 13, 2019, and see our Giving Guidelines for restrictions.
A limited number of sponsorships are available, so please contact us early to get ahead of the holiday hustle.
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Amazon Wish List
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Amazon Wish List
Our Foster Parents, staff, and the children in our care chose the items on our Amazon Wish List. These are gifts that will be useful not only through the winter wonderland, but year-round. So if you see something that doesn’t quite say “very merry” to you, that’s why. Be sure to sign in through Amazon Smile and choose SOS Illinois as your preferred charity to make the most of your gift.
Giving Guidelines
The safety and security of the youth in our care is our top priority.
Thank you for protecting the children in our care by observing these safety restrictions.
- Please deliver your gifts unwrapped. We welcome donations of new gift wrap and gift bags.
- We cannot accept used toys and clothing of any kind or condition, including stuffed animals.
- We cannot accept toy guns or weapons of any kind. We also cannot accept video games or movies with violent content.
- Due to protections for the youth in our care, we cannot share photographs or the location of the youth you sponsor.
- Due to the same protections, we are not able to arrange for you to give your gifts directly to the children.
- If you are interested in supporting our holiday festivities and services in lieu of a physical present, please consider making a year-end donation.
Delivering Your Gifts
We welcome gift drop-offs at our Villages during office hours, typically 8:30-4:30PM Monday-Friday*. Please call ahead. Be sure to fill out a donation form at the front desk. For prearranged pick-ups coordinated with our staff at SOS Illinois, the drop-off location will be at our sorting site at N. Clark and W. Belmont Ave. Village and Location drop-off sites are located at:
- Administrative Office: 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 925, Chicago, IL 60606 (312-372-8200)
- Casa Tepeyac: S. Hermitage Ave., Chicago, IL (9:00am-5:00pm) (773-247-7725)
- Chicago Village: 7600 S. Parnell Ave., Chicago, IL 60620 (773-783-0500)
*Please note that Casa Tepeyac operates on different office hours than our other four locations.
- Lockport Village: 17545 Village Ln., Lockport IL 606441 (815-740-7280)
- Roosevelt Square Village:1200 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608 (312-243-1901)
Roosevelt Square Community Center Project
Looking to give all year ’round? We continue to look for contributions for the Roosevelt Square Community center to provide the children and families in the Roosevelt Square Village and the surrounding communities with a valuable resource to gather, learn and strengthen their neighborhood.