Giving Group

Imagine the pure, unbridled excitement of a child picking out the perfect Christmas gift – not just for themselves, but for their loved ones. Last Saturday, Giving Group volunteers, along with Woodfield Area Children's Organization, turned that magical moment into reality for over 80 precious preschoolers, creating memories that will shine brighter than any holiday lights. The numbers tell an amazing story: 💝 80+ preschoolers assisted 🎁 Over 350 gifts carefully selected and wrapped 😁 Countless smiles and memories created These weren't just presents. They were hugs wrapped in paper, dreams tied with ribbons, and love carefully selected with tiny hands and guided by caring volunteers. We saw the sparkle in children's eyes as they discovered the true magic of giving – a lesson more valuable than any gift could ever be. To our incredible volunteers: You didn't just give gifts last Saturday. You gave hope. You gave dignity. You showed these children that they matter, that they are seen, and that their love has the power to brighten the world. In this season of miracles, you are the real magic. Thank you for turning ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. To Bill, Wendy, Sandy, Joe, and the rest of WACO's team, Thank You for giving us the opportunity to participate in this amazing initiative year after year! #HeartOfGiving #HolidayMagic #WACOCares #joyofgiving

It's time to give the stage to Dan Origer in these #GG2024inreview series, our Lead Ambassador and the mastermind behind our #SummerFoodDrive program! Dan's thoughts on 2024, the year of #IMPACT: 🎙"The connections we make are the best part! From the people we meet who have great stories, vets, pets, and their journeys to meeting with the school district to find new ways to help kids and their families. We are learning so much in this area of life - Giving! We all strive to work hard and be successful, I hope, but I understand that sometimes there’re other avenues and paths that people have to take when they don’t have many options. We, as Giving Group, have found a way to give back and, in our own little world, to make a difference and, hopefully, open some doors for an opportunity for a better quality of life for those we care about." Thank You, Dan, for not only always being GG's avid supporter, but also for being so passionate about the legacy we leave behind! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving

Next in our #GG2024inreview series is Anam Bokhari, lead ambassador, and in-event fundraising driver! Anam's thoughts on 2024 with Giving Group give us warm fuzzies; how about you? 🎙"This year as an Ambassador with Giving Group has been a whirlwind of fun and fulfillment! From cracking up at comedy shows to cheering everyone on at Kickball for Kids, from cuddling with furry friends and bowling at Pins for Paws to the Memorial Day Food Giveaway and providing food for over 200 military and veteran families, every event has filled my heart with joy and purpose. It's been amazing to connect with such incredible people and feel a deeper bond with our community. Knowing I'm playing a part in making a difference makes my heart so happy. I'm beyond grateful to be a part of this amazing organization and the incredible group of people." Thank You, Anam, for showing up and caring with all your heart! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving

Next in our #GG2024inreview series is Jason Stallard, lead amabassador and Media SME working tirelessly to amplify the voices of our community. Here is what Jason had to say about his 2024 with Giving Group: 🎙"This year with the Giving Group has been incredible, filled with meaningful events that made a real impact. One event that truly stood out to me was the veterans event supporting Mid-West Veterans Closet. From engaging in conversations with veterans to assisting them with food, I felt deeply humbled. It left me with a renewed perspective and a strong conviction that we must continue to do more to support those who have given so much for us.” Thank you, Jason, for your partnership! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving

Last Saturday, Giving Group wrapped up our final #BootsOnTheGround project for 2024: Santa's Helpers Volunteer Day, in partnership with Woodfield Area Children's Organization! It was an amazing Saturday morning filled with laughter, happiness, and joy! We danced, we sang—albeit off-key—but it's the passion that matters, doesn't it? 😄 Over 80 preschoolers received gifts for themselves and their families, enjoyed cookies with Santa, and felt loved and cared for by everyone. Thank you to our volunteers, and thank you to WACO for the annual opportunity to end our year experiencing the true #JoyOfGiving! #givinggrp #volunteers #joyofgiving #children #charity

We have another December birthday, so please join us in saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our lead ambassador, Kathy Facenda, who always leads our volunteers with energy and heart! 🎉 Her unique ability to use positive influence on the community to grow Giving Group's mission and volunteer base is admirable, and we are grateful she is a part of our Giving family! We would like to wish Kathy a fantastic and festive birthday and many happy moments in the year to come! Let's show Kathy our love; leave your wish in the comments! #leadambassadors #happybirthday #givinggrp

Congratulations to Giving Group's very own, Raghu Sundara on receiving the 2024 Kevin T. Kendrigan Spirit Award from Special Leisure Services Foundation (SLSF). We are all proud of everything you do for our community and grateful for your dedication to service. #humanitarianaward #givinggrp

To continue our #GG2024inreview series, we give the stage to Kathy Facenda, a Lead Amabassador and our volunteer wrangler who we can always count on to show up and be present! Here is what Kathy shared with us reflecting on her 2024 with Giving Group. 🎙️ "Serving as a Lead Ambassador for Giving Group this year really helped me experience JOY through projects that directly impact our community's kids, vets and pets in so many ways. Interacting with kids at a Halloween trunk or treat, Veterans at a food drive, and therapy or adoptable animals at Pins for Paws fueled me to work harder to help. I am so grateful for these interactions, as well as working alongside the most generous, caring people I know in Giving Group. Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers and supporters! I'm looking forward to see what we can do next year with JOYFUL initiatives that give back with direct IMPACT!"🎙️ We are grateful for you, Kathy! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving

Next in our #GG2024inreview series is Charlie Bittner, another one of our lead ambassadors and a part of our #petsinitiative and junior ambassador program. Here is what a year with GG looked like for Charlie: 🎙 "Being a part of Giving Group has been a blessing. There's not a better feeling than giving back to the community and GG has provided me with the perfect platform to do so. The moments that have stood out most to me are when we gather at the end of an event and see the impact that we made through the help of our team and all the amazing individuals who volunteer and attend our events. I think the most exciting thing for me this year was seeing all the students in their Halloween costumes, knowing we had made that possible. This journey has been amazing so far, and if it sounds like I'm bragging about us, it's because I am. The group of people who have come together to make the Giving Group possible is as good as it gets. Not only are they some of the smartest individuals I've ever met, but the fact that each and every one of us shares the value of giving makes it that much better. Being a part of Giving Group is so rewarding, and I can't wait to continue making a difference in whichever way possible!" Thank You, Charlie, for being a part of Giving Group! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving

As we near the end of 2024, we would like to reflect on Giving Group's impact and recognize the people who worked tirelessly all year to bring #JOY to our beneficiaries, donors, and sponsors. So, we asked our team to reflect on their experience participating in Giving Group this year, what they learned, and what it meant to them. To kick off our #GG2024inreview series is Nathan Carlberg, our lead ambassador and a part of our #petsinitiative and junior ambassador program. 🎙️ "Giving group brought me closer to my community in a few different ways. The first was being able to bond and connect with my fellow ambassadors, volunteers, and board members who live and work in the same community I do.   The second was just being able to serve "boots on the ground" style. Running around at events, handing out food to kids and their families, and even just working the wristband booth at September Fest all helped me engage with people in a new way and really see the impact that we were making in a way that's hard to describe.   The third way, was bittersweet. Being a part of a non-profit comes with seeing issues affecting those in your community firsthand and sometimes that's hard to see. However, that also comes with learning that there are people, groups, etc out there that work tirelessly to make life easier for people who go through these things. That really keeps you going. That drives you to be a giver, and consistently be in a giving mindset." Thank you, Nathan, for your contribution! #meettheteam #givinggrp #joyofgiving