Nearly 350 children in the Bloomington-Normal community will have a brighter holiday season this year thanks to Illinois State University’s Holiday Helper Program.
Organized by the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) for more than a decade, the Holiday Helper program collects hundreds of gifts donated by Illinois State faculty, staff, students, and community members. Volunteers then wrap the gifts and deliver them to community organizations.
This year’s event was organized by Afiwa TETE, the CCE’s assistant director for co-curricular programming. She worked alongside Tatum Flores-Lerch, a second-year master’s student and graduate assistant in the college student personnel administration program.
“Something unique about this year is we did a large Wrap and Pack event,” TETE said. “In previous years, we would have multiple smaller events where faculty and students would come to wrap the gifts that we received for the children. This year, we did a large one lasting seven hours.”
More than 220 volunteers got involved with the Wrap and Pack event to wrap hundreds of presents provided by more than 160 sponsors. After the gifts are wrapped and organized, Holiday Helper’s community partners—Unity Community Center, Western Avenue Community Center, Lifelong Access, Boys and Girls Club Bloomington Normal, YWCA, and the Center for Youth and Family Solutions—distribute the gifts to children at various holiday parties.
“I have seen the faces of the children when they receive the gifts, so I know the difference that the ISU community makes when they sponsor the children,” TETE said. “I know that it means a lot not just to the children who are receiving them, but also to the parents, families, community partners, and staff at those different locations. It means a lot.”
Aubrey Thimesch is a senior psychology major and a part of Student Leaders in Community Engagement (SLiCE) within the CCE. This is Thimesch’s second year working with the Holiday Helper program, and they said they are impressed with how much the program has grown within the past year.
“I think word is getting out about our program and more people are coming together to get more children sponsored,” Thimesch said. “So many families keep coming back to get sponsored, and luckily, our sponsorships have been growing. This positively impacts the families and takes some financial stress off their shoulders.”
The CCE informs volunteers about the significance of the Holiday Helper program and its impact on Bloomington-Normal families during Wrap and Pack and outreach events. Thimesch said the program not only contributes to the community but also serves as an excellent opportunity for individuals to enhance their skills, including leadership, communication, teamwork, and, most importantly, empathy.
“Getting involved has helped me grow not only in my professional skills such as leadership and communication but also as a person,” Thimesch said. “You have the opportunity to work toward combating societal issues that the community is facing. It’s a really fulfilling job.”
Members of the University community can contribute to the Holiday Helper program year-round by donating wrapping paper (both new and gently used), gift boxes and bags, bows, scissors, and tape. In addition to the Holiday Helper program, the CCE also organizes the annual SOCKtober program, which collects donated socks in October for those in need. Volunteers collected and donated nearly 5,000 pairs of socks this fall.
“These events tie the ISU community with Bloomington-Normal and bridges connections that bring us together to support one another,” Flores-Lerch said. “I recommend getting involved in any way you can.”
