Volume 19, Issue 3 - Fall 2019

Dear Friends and Families,

It’s hard to believe we’re already at the eve of the winter holiday season! Even within the hustle and bustle of it all, I am inspired by the underlying spirit of gratitude and the ways people every-where pause for a moment to count their blessings and express appreciation at this time of year.

Here at ICP, our bucket is overflowing with gratitude and we are blessed to witness the true meaning of giving each and every day. We see it as we connect volunteers with clients and watch both benefit from their time together, as we see our staff go the extra mile, as we accept a generous donation in memory of a loved one and as we read kind words of heartfelt appreciation from a client grateful for our help.

It is all of these moments that encourage us to continue spreading the word about ICP and further gather support so we may help as many older adults as possible maintain their independence, live with dignity and stay connect-ed with their community.

Please consider joining us in this effort by including ICP in your giving this season. As you know, we rely on dona-tions to provide our services at no cost to our clients. A donation in honor of or in memory of a loved one is a lovely tribute to a parent or other special older adult. Legacy or planned giving is another way to set up an endur-ing gift that will change lives for years to come. And if your employer offers a matching gift program, take ad-vantage of this opportunity to make your ICP donation go even further.

There are further details in this newsletter about Giving Tuesday and how to have Amazon donate to ICP every time you shop. We are so appreciative of your support. Please know donations of every size make a significant impact to a small nonprofit like ICP!

To our wonderful family of volunteers, supporters, staff, clients and client families, we are very grateful to count you among our blessings. Enjoy the warmth, wonder and togetherness of the holiday season!

ICP Connections

Do you know about our library home bound delivery services?

News for our clients, families and community

Janet Garreau, Executive Director

What is library home bound delivery?

ICP partners with local libraries to provide library materials to older adults who can-not get to the library. We currently work with libraries in Brookfield, Hodgkins, La Grange, La Grange Park, North Riverside and Western Springs.

How does it work?

Every two weeks, ICP volunteers deliver books and other library materials to your door. After two weeks, a volunteer will pick up the materials to be returned to the library and drop off a new batch. Materials can include books, movies/DVDs, CDs and magazines.

Contact your local library to register! All you need is a valid library card.

2

As we end our fiscal year on December 31, please know there are many ways you can help ICP continue our important mission of providing critical transportation for older adults and keep-ing them connected with their community.

HONOR A SPECIAL PERSON Making a gift in honor of mom, dad, grandma or another special older adult pays tribute to your loved one and cares for others in their honor.

LEGACY AND PLANNED GIFTS Legacy and planned gifts are a beautiful way to celebrate significant life events by caring for others for many years to come.

RECURRING AND MATCHING GIFTS Recurring gifts are very helpful in allowing ICP to depend on regular funds, and employer match-ing gifts are a great way to make your gift go further.

PARTICIPATE IN GIVING TUESDAY ON DEC. 3rd We invite you to participate in this global day of giving and make a difference with a gift to ICP!

HAVE AMAZON DONATE TO ICP EVERY TIME YOU SHOP—AT NO COST TO YOU When you shop on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products is donated to the charity of your choice. To get started, visit smile.amazon.com, and select Interfaith Com-munity Partners as your charity!

TO DONATE, please visit our website, call our office or mail check donations to the PO Box listed on the back of this newsletter. Consult your tax advisor for legacy and planned giving.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Client News & Reminders

Holiday Hours: To honor our volun-

teers with a much-needed break over

the holidays, the ICP office will be

closed per the following schedule:

No rides Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving Day)

through Sunday, December 1. The office will reopen

for rides Monday, December 2.

No rides Thursday, December 19 through Thursday,

January 2. The office will reopen for rides on Friday,

January 3.

Inclement Weather Procedure: When we anticipate

or have heavy snow and/or extreme cold, we try to

assist in confirming physician appointments and re-

scheduling rides when the weather breaks. Please

work with our staff if you have a cancelation that

you know about ahead of time.

Driver Appreciation: We encourage you to write

thank you notes to your drivers! Just mail them to

the ICP office P.O. Box and our staff will make sure

they get them!

Help spread the word about ICP! Please like us on

Facebook and Instagram, write reviews on Yelp,

Nextdoor and other social media. Tell your friends,

neighbors and colleagues about us! Positive reviews,

testimonials, shared posts and "likes" all increase

our connections to potential clients, volunteers and

donors. These connections help raise awareness of

ICP and the needs of our clients, and assist with out-

reach and fundraising. We appreciate your help!

Emergency Contact Updates: Did your emergency

contact change, or did they change phone, address,

or email? Please update our office so we have the

most recent information to keep you safe.

Client Surveys: Surveys will be mailed to each client;

kindly complete them and send back in the enve-

lope provided. Your opinion is very important to us!

You can make a real difference

in someone’s life this season.

Enjoy the holidays with your friends and family!

3

Our annual Fall Benefit, “Takin’ It to the Streets,” drew 250 attendees who shared in the

celebration and support of ICP and the older adults we serve. With the generosity of the

wonderful ICP community, this special event raised a record-breaking $57,700!

These much-needed funds are already being put to good use serving our growing roster of

older adult clients. With this support, ICP can continue providing clients with safe, accom-

panied transportation to important appointments, well-being and connection visits, library

home delivery services and more.

Thank you to all who attended and supported this event, and for making the care and con-

sideration of older adults a priority!

A special to the following donors and supporters. Please consider giving

them your business and support for all they have done for ICP and our deserving clients.

AlphaGraphics

AMITA Heart & Vascular

Anderson Bookshop

Anonymous

Antico Posto

Aspired Living

Barrel House Social

Bethlehem Woods

Blackberry Market

Blueberry Hill Pancake House

BlueSky Home Care

Boone Animal Hospital

Brew Moon Fest

Café Salsa

Cantata Adult Life Services

Casey's Market

Ceramic Art Café

Chicago Bears

Chicago Bulls

Chicago Cubs

Chicago White Sox

Christopher Mark Florists

Comfort Keepers

Commissioner Tobolski

Community Bank of Western

Springs

Continental Motors

Cooper's Hawk

Countryside Bank

Countryside Chamber of Com-

merce

D’Aprile Realty/Ann-Marie

Hickey

Davanti Enoteca Restaurant

Dr. Kathleen Schafer DPM

Drury Lane Theatre

Edward Jones/Steven Langworthy

Elite Fitness

Flagg Creek Golf Course

FNBC Bank & Trust

Fourteensixteen

Fuller's Car Wash

Hawthorne Race Course

Heartland Bank & Trust

Hinsdale Nurseries

Hitzeman Funeral Home

Holiday Inn Countryside

Home Helpers

Horizon Wealth Management

House Republican Leader

Irish Times

J. Benak Service, Inc

Jayne Boutique

Jen's Guesthouse

Kama Indian Bistro

LaGrange Park Ace Hardware

La Grange Pointe

Law Office of Eileen Fitzgerald

Legacy Guild

Lilett Candies

Linnea Jewelers

Local Workout

Loco Mocha

Main Street Liquor

MAK's

Maria's Floral Shop

Mary's Morning Mix-Up

Mattone Restaurant

Morton Arboretum

Nickson's Eatery

Northlight Theatre

Nothing Bundt Cakes

NuMark Credit Union

Oak Brook Golf Club

Olivaceto

Paramount Theatre

Pinnacle Financial Group

Plymouth Place Senior Living

Private Vista/Mike McCabe

Proviso Public Partnership

Q BBQ

Rafferty's

Red Lobster

Rocky Mt. Chocolate Factory

Salerno's Restaurant

Schwartz Excavating, Inc.

Senior Living Experts

Shedd Aquarium

Smallcakes

Starship

Steak + Vine

Tate's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop

Theatre of Western Springs

Trader Joes La Grange

Vie Restaurant

Village True Value Hardware

Vineyard Vines

Vintage Charm

Waterlemon

We're Nuts

Western Springs Fruit Store

WGN Radio

Whisper Me Home

Wild Monk

Wilson & Wilson Law Office

Zanies Comedy Club

Zika's Nails

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Anonymous

Kimberly Arndt

Karen Barthel

Wally Blazej

Carol & Robert Dobis

Randy & Joyce Ferrari

Mary Pat Flaherty

Sharon Flaim & Bob Behar

Andy & Ann Gore

Mardel Graffy

Bob & Ginny Grecco

Anita Hunt

Linda & Mark Hussey

Jane Kesl

Clarice Olson

Laurie & Jim Richter

Sheila Ryan-Henry

Andrew Schreiber

Herb & Joyce Smyers

Arthur Stange

Kathryn Stefanek

Eileen Tumpach

Jacqueline & Cameron

Walker

4

Bob Weiler has been a volun-teer, Board member and friend of ICP since 2013. He provided his first volunteer ride in February 2014 and has been generously offering his time behind the wheel ever since. In fact, he’s accumulated an im-pressive 681 drives, 3,688 miles and more than 637 volunteer hours!

Our clients tell us it’s a pleasure to have Bob take them where they need to go. They always enjoy their conversations as Bob shares his humor, kind-ness and many interesting stories of his extensive travels! The staff couldn’t agree more—Bob has a true heart of gold, is a joy to be around and is very generous with his time, often taking 4-5 rides per week.

In addition to driving our clients, Bob serves on the ICP Board of Directors as Treasurer. He’s been on the Board since 2013 and his extensive knowledge of finance is invaluable to the ICP Finance Com-mittee. Prior to volunteering at ICP, Bob spent 35 years in tax preparation and finance and was en-rolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Ser-vice.

Bob lives with his wife, Marlene, in La Grange Park. When he’s not volunteering, Bob and Marlene en-joy traveling and spending time with their four grown children and many grandchildren.

Thank you, Bob, for sharing your time, kindness and talents with ICP and our clients!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Bob Weiler

Like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest ICP news and events, fun photos, and to spread the word about ICP!

Claire Bach

Leigh Hall

Kevin Hennessy

Lulu Kulaga

Adrianna Mucha

Eileen Norris

Julie Beja first learned about ICP through friends and decid-ed to volunteer after attending a fundraiser. Since May 2016 she’s been a volunteer super-

star, racking up 375 rides equating to 3,049 miles and 279 hours of donated time!

Julie says she’s always had an affinity for working with older adults, and through her own parents she learned firsthand the real need for reliable, safe transportation as people age.

“People need to help one another,” says Julie. “I am fortunate in life and want to give back. Volun-teering at ICP allows me to help others and is very rewarding. I get as much out of it as the clients! I love hearing their stories and sharing in great con-versations. It’s fun for me to get to know clients and to share about my own family and my day as well. It’s a great connection on both sides.”

Julie typically provides 2-3 rides per week and is always ready and willing to help when we’re in a pinch. Her good nature and high-octane energy are appreciated and enjoyed by both clients and staff alike. And, when not driving clients, Julie has been known to drive clients’ pets to vet appoint-ments as well! There really is no end to her gener-osity and kindness!

In addition to volunteering, Julie enjoys Pilates, mini boot camp, and walking her dog, Coco. She loves to travel, especially to Cabo San Lucas. She and her husband, Todd, are empty nesters with a daughter, Kate (also our fabulous summer intern this past summer!) in college, son Joe in Austin, Texas, and daughter Maddie working in Chicago. Julie is also the primary caregiver of her mother, who lives in Glenview.

Thank you, Julie, for sharing your time and your kind heart with our clients!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Julie Beja

Kim Rasulo

Bill Ritchie

Desmond Ryan

Betty Sloan

Alice Walter

5

Dennis Kelly first learned about ICP at the 2018 La Grange Pet Parade. While watching the parade with his grandchildren, he was handed

an flyer explaining our mission and ongoing need for volunteer drivers. Dennis, retired from a career in education, felt it was the perfect time in his life to take on a new volunteer venture and that driv-ing for ICP was a meaningful way to share his time.

Since his first day behind the wheel, Dennis has cheerfully provided 104 rides, clocked 796 miles and shared 95 hours of his time. Our clients are comforted to see Dennis’s smiling face, knowing he will take them safely to their important ap-pointments.

When asked why he volunteers, Dennis says, “Because I’m doing what I should be doing. This is the right time for me. I believe in the three T’s—time, talent and treasure. Everyone should commit to one of those and with volunteering I am able to do all three. I’m happy to be in the position to lend a helping hand.”

Dennis lives in Western Springs and enjoys travel-ing and spending time with his family, including five daughters, six grandsons and one granddaugh-ter. He enjoys fishing, which he says gives him the opportunity to connect with friends. He’s also a voracious reader and treasures his collection of first edition books by Henry David Thoreau, a fa-vorite author.

Thank you, Dennis, for sharing your time and cheerful spirit with ICP and our clients!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Dennis Kelly

Diana Pascarella became an ICP volunteer in March of this year. She first learned about our organization through her church bulletin and then attended a volunteer event with a friend, where she learned more and decided to sign on. Diana has since found ICP to be the perfect volunteer match for her because she loves getting to talk with and know new people and she appreciates the flexibility of volunteering with ICP. She also enjoys getting to know the staff and other volun-teers since we all share a common interest.

In her relatively short time with us so far, Diana has provided 52 client rides equating to 377 miles. She’s also made many phone reassurance calls and home visits to check in on and visit with our cli-ents. All in all, she’s already blessed ICP and our clients with more than 47 hours of her time! Our clients truly appreciate her warm personality and friendly conversation.

“I like volunteering with ICP because I’ve always been able to easily relate to people,” Diana says. “I love that I’ve had several clients multiple times, which has given me the opportunity to really get to know them. I enjoy our conversations as much as they do!”

Diana is a proud mom of three grown children and 7 lovely grandchildren, whom she enjoys gushing over whenever she can. She’s also an avid reader and belongs to three book clubs. She keeps active doing aquacise several times a week, and enjoys walking her dog, Misty.

Thank you, Diana, for sharing your time and friend-ly spirit with ICP and our clients!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Diana Pascarella

Join us December 3rd for a special “Giving-Your-Time-Tuesday” Volunteer Open House! Stop by for coffee and treats and learn how just a little of your time can make a big difference right here in your own community. Spread the word and bring a friend! We’re always looking for kind volunteers.

6

ICP staff, board members and volunteers believe in playing an active role in our community. We’re

having a blast supporting area events while increasing awareness of ICP and the backing needed to

provide safe, reliable rides for our clients.

La Grange Endless Summerfest

Thank you so much for your wonderful service for seniors. It is great to get to medical appointments worry free. Thanks to the volunteers whose punctu-ality, patience and kindness is appreciated. —K&RH

What a beautiful surprise I had when a birthday bou-quet was delivered to me. I love each flower. You have no idea how thankful I am to have you in my life for those trips I must have to doctors. Most sin-cerely with love. —JE

I appreciate the frequent rides the volunteers gave me to places I couldn’t get to because I am not driv-ing anymore. —MAW

Thank you for accepting my request for transporta-tion and someone to accompany me to my appoint-ment. —JA

Kind Words from our Clients Board Member News

Welcome new ICP Board member, Libby Koziarz!

ICP is happy to announce Libby Koziarz has joined our Board of Directors. Libby serves as Vice President & Trust Officer at FNBC Bank & Trust Wealth Manage-ment, where she has worked since 2010. She is active in the non-profit community, working with the Chicago Council on Planning Giving and the Chicago Estate Planning Council. She is also a board member of The LeaderShop. Libby resides in Chicago with her hus-band Brennan.

We look forward to Libby’s participation and guid-ance in furthering the ICP mission.

La Grange Farmers Market

ICP Fall Benefit

Proviso Public Partnership golf outing supporting Aspire Aging Care Connections

Sports Ball Gala

Plymouth Place 75th Anniversary Gala

7

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors!

We’re looking forward to celebrating

ICP’s 20th anniversary next year!

Stay tuned for details so you can join

in on the celebration!

8

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors!

9

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors!

Happy Holidays!

-

Board of Directors

President Ken Kostal

Vice President Ben Boyd

Secretary Gaye Wagner

Treasurer Robert Weiler

Mary Pat Flaherty Sharon Flaim

Andy Gore Mardel Graffy

Bob Grecco Ann-Marie Hickey

Libby Koziarz Bethany O’Brien

Executive Director Janet Garreau

Staff Peggy Patino

Eileen Tumpach Eileen Uzarski

P.O. Box 310 La Grange, IL 60525

Phone: 708-354-9328

Email: InterfaithCommunityPartners@gmail.com

Web: InterfaithCommunityPartners.org

OUR MISSION The mission of Interfaith Community Partners is to maximize the independence and well-being of older adults by enabling connections with others in their community.

OUR SERVICES Our core service is providing older adults with safe, accompanied transportation to medi-cal appointments, therapies and life-enhancing errands including the grocery store, bank, hairdresser and church. We also provide home visits and phone calls to check in on older adults, deliver their library materials, and brighten their days however we can.

COMMUNITIES SERVED Broadview - Brookfield - Burr Ridge - Countryside - Hinsdale - Hodgkins - Indian Head Park - La Grange - La Grange Park - Lyons - McCook - North Riverside - Oak Brook - Summit - Westchester - Western Springs - Willow Springs COMING SOON: Clarendon Hills - Darien - Downers Grove - Westmont - Willowbrook

• Fall Benefit recap and results • Profiles on incredible volunteers

• Holiday hours and other important client news

• How you can include ICP in your holiday giving • ...and much more!