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Our Mission:
Continuing our 45 year heritage, Lake County Cares is the premier volunteer service hub of Lake County. LCC is an active center that strengthens communities by operating essential outreach programs and facilitating daily connections between our volunteer corps and local agencies, municipalities, schools, businesses, civic groups, and religious organizations
Our Vision:
Dedicated to strengthening Lake County by connecting caring residents with outreach programs and service opportunities that make a difference in their communities
History:
Founded in 1967 by seven Lake Forest and Lake Bluff women, Lake County Cares was originally called the Volunteer Bureau of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff. This grass roots organization was established to help connect residents of the community with opportunities to serve and to help solve community needs through innovative programming. Several programs created by The Volunteer Bureau and eventually spun off include: Relief for Caregivers, The Senior Transportation Network, Safe Sitter Program, and the Gorton Drop-In Center. The organization changed its name to the Volunteer Center of Lake Forest/Lake Buff in order to better align itself with the national network of Volunteer Centers after receiving national accreditation from the Points of Light Foundation. In 2009, the organization changed its name to Lake County Cares to better represent the communities it serves.
How Lake County Cares has made a difference in Lake County:
2011 Highlights (scroll down to print PDF of 2011 Fact Sheet)
OVERALL
- Engaged more than 16,750 individuals in volunteer service
- Advocated for literacy, homelessness, the unemployed, victims of domestic violence, women in recovery, youths, seniors, the disabled, animals, healthcare, veterans, and the environment through hundreds of agency referrals and eight different outreach programs.
OUTREACH PROGRAM IMPACT
- Provided direct access to books for more than 2900 children K-8 at nine schools in Highwood, North Chicago and Waukegan
- Instilled love of literacy and appreciation of different cultures among 240 third graders from Waukegan and Highwood and 240 fourth and fifth graders from Lake Forest and Lake Bluff through reading buddy program.
- Provided direct food aid to clients of 8 food pantries; including 1400+ pounds of food, 652 Thanksgiving dinners and $2,440 in gift cards and cashier’s checks.
- Collect enough food to fill weekend backpacks for 250 children served by the Holy Family Food Pantry for the entire summer
- Strengthened families and helped provide children with a sense of hope and self esteem by fulfilling the holiday wishes of 800 individuals and families served by 10 social service agencies.
- Fulfilled basic hygiene needs of more than 300 women in need by collecting 6,000 toiletries and distributing on Valentine’s Day.
- Actively engaged seniors in exercise, craft-making, and conversation through nine monthly programs involving children ages k-8
- Supported the work of 23 social service agencies over the summer months through ongoing referrals of teens, college students and unemployed individuals via our Summer of Service program.
- Prepared 22 preschoolers for kindergarten during six week pilot summer program at Oak Terrace Elementary School designed to improve fine and gross motor skills development
SERVICE UNITS:
CARE CORPS is the collective group of individuals to whom we provide experienced consultation and match with opportunities appropriate to their interest and/or skills
- OUTREACH is the arm of the organization that develops community projects to address local needs and involve residents in their design and implementation.
The issues addressed are:
- Hunger
- Literacy
- Domestic Violence
- Senior Well Being
- Environment
- Homelessness
- Youth Leadership
- Civic Engagement
- AGENCY SUPPORT is the cornerstone of LCC providing more than 115 social service agencies with the publicity and resources they need to accomplish their important missions. Our agency HQ is designed to help member agencies, non-profits, parks, libraries, schools and religious organizations through ongoing referral of volunteers, volunteer management training and many other services. Together we build stronger communities in Lake County.
SPECIAL SERVICE EVENTS
Lake County Cares is proud to recognize a select group of highly valued volunteers who are nominated by member agencies. The I CARE Awards (originally called Women of Service and Style) is held in the spring and honors nominees for making volunteerism a part of their everyday lifestyle.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Lake County Cares partners with social service agencies, parks, libraries, schools, business, civic groups and religious organizations to promote and fulfill their volunteer needs as well as develop programs that complement their mission(s). LCC also partners with Lake County municipalities promoting their city government and community volunteer needs, along with planning Days of Service.
OUR FUNDING
Lake County Cares is a 501(c) (3) organization that relies on individual and corporate donations as well as foundation grants. LCC is a member of the Points of Light/ Hands on Network.
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