By Susan Fong

Let the “spirit of giving” guide us into the New Year as 2009 closes. Whether we give time or resources, the season signals that giving, now more than ever, can be an investment in the future — it is through our charitable participation that a community is built. Assembled below is a list of places for seasonal and year round giving. The Gazette has provided a list of giving opportunities since 1984.

Office of Second Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti, 429 S. Dearborn St., is collecting toys for children up to 14 years of age through Tuesday, Dec. 15. Items can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. A wrapping party following the collection will be organized, date to be announced. The office also is collecting new hats, gloves, scarves, and socks in conjunction with the South Loop Neighbors (see page 53). For further information about either program or on how to participate, call Pasquale Neri in the Second Ward office at (312) 263-9273.

Office of Third Ward Alderman Pat Dowell, 5046 S. State St., is collecting toys for youngsters up to 14 years of age. The alderman’s staff is compiling a list of residents in the area who call in and say they need toys. The items will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Donors can drop items at the alderman’s office. Call Allyson Allison, director of constituent services, at (773) 373-9273, either to donate or to be added to the list of recipients.

Office of Fourth Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, 4659 S. Cottage Grove Ave., will host its annual Holiday Party at King High School at 4455 S. Drexel Blvd. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. All are invited to bring non-perishable food items and/or age appropriate gifts for three-to-five year-old children. The office will assemble the gifts and food items for families with pre-school children and is asking donors to drop off items at the party so that they can be wrapped for Christmas or Kwanzaa, but also will continue to accept donations at the office after Dec. 8. Call Deborah Mister, events coordinator, at (773) 536-8103.

Office of 1st Ward Alderma Manny Flores, 2058 N. Western Ave., (773) 278-0101. Office of 11th Ward Alderman James A. Balcer, 3659 S. Halsted St., call (773) 254-6677. Office of 25th Ward Alderman Danny Solis, 2439 S. Oakley Ave., call (773) 523-4100. Office of 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett, 1643 W. Chicago Ave., call (312) 432-1995.

The Breast Cancer Network of Strength supports women and men with breast cancer and their families with programs including a 24-hour support hotline run by a trained staff of breast cancer survivors speaking 140 languages. To donate or volunteer, go online at www.netoworkofstrength.org or at 212 W. Van Buren St. The organization’s hotline is (800) 221-2141. Online donations also are welcome.

During December, Cardinal Fitness will host its annual toy drive. People are encouraged to bring in new, unwrapped toys for all ages. Toys donated to Cardinal Fitness will be delivered to Toys for Tots, the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation, and the Salvation Army. Drop-off locations are at 3145 S. Ashland Ave. and 1301 W. Madison St. Visit www.cardinalfitness.com for more information.

Cathedral Shelter of Chicago, 1668 W. Ogden Ave., is a not-forprofit organization that prevents hunger and homelessness for over 10,000 people each year. This year, Cathedral Shelter expects to help 1,500 families with its annual Christmas Basket Drive; each basket will contain gift cards for food and essentials that will distributed to families and seniors. The shelter also needs volunteers through Tuesday, Dec. 15, to give out gift baskets, check-in families, and pick up baskets from donors or to help load and unload trucks. Donations of new blankets, pots and pans, clothes, and other personal and household items are needed year-round. To volunteer, sponsor a family, or provide a food basket, go to www.cathedralshelter.org or call Jason Jones at (312) 997-2222, ext. 238, or e-mail him at jjones@cathedralshelter.org.

Casa Central (Central House), 1343 N. California Ave., seeks volunteers and donations to help with its holiday and annual programs. The organization was founded in 1954 by a multi-denominational group of churches to provide social services for Hispanics. It is now the largest Hispanic social service agency in Chicago. Its network of 25 bilingual/bicultural social service programs serves Chicago residents through nine facilities. To volunteer or for more information call Marketing Associate Frank Diaz at (773) 645-2322 or go online at www.casacentral.org.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, 721 N. LaSalle St., will accept toys, clothing, household items, and school supplies, which can be dropped off at the above address. Hours are Mon.-Fri. between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Call (312) 655-7019.

Chicago Firefighters and Paramedics Local 2 and Catholic Charities will host their 11th annual Toy Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m., beginning at the union’s local headquarters at 440 W. 43rd St., then moving through Bridgeport and up Halsted Street into Greektown, and ending at International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134 Hall at 600 W. Washington Blvd. Onlookers are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys, so that they can be picked up along the parade route. Volunteers will then unload the items to be sorted and wrapped for distribution. Contact Services and Toy Drive Director Michael McDonnell (312) 226-0650 or mmcdonnell@catholiccharities.net for further donation or parade information.

At the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), employees are donating their time and money to purchase groceries for food baskets. The gift baskets will contain all the trimmings for a complete holiday meal. The baskets are delivered to community organizations from the North, South, and West Sides of Chicago. The CTA’s Holiday Food Train has distributed food baskets to community groups to help feed needy families for the past 18 years. Last year, contributions from generous employees helped feed more than 600 families. Each food basket contains all the ingredients for a complete meal. For more information about how to make a donation, visit www.transitchicago.com or call (888) YOUR-CTA (888-968-7282).

Cook County Commissioner and President Pro Tempore Joseph Mario Moreno (D-7th) will hold his annual Toys-For- Kids Drive. Interested persons are asked to bring unwrapped toys to his office, to be delivered by Christmas Day to different charity organizations in the 7th District. Moreno’s office is at 2456 W 38th St. For information, call Cristina Saldana at (312) 603-5443 or e-mail cristina@cookcountygov.com.

De La Salle Institute, 3455 S. Wabash Ave. and 1040 W. 32nd Pl., is running a holiday giving drive, collecting on Wednesday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 11. Students at both the Institute and Lourdes Hall Campuses will be collecting canned foods, clothes, and toys for needy families.

De La Salle will host a Santa’s Helpers Crusade co-sponsored by several other groups, including the City of De Lasallian Youth and the National Honor Society. De La Salle will accept donations of clothing and toys until Dec. 11 that will be distributed to the needy, during the holiday season. Contact Emily Vogel at (312) 842-7355 ext. 126 at vogele@dls.org for more information.

Deborah’s Place, 2822 W. Jackson Blvd. (administrative offices), (773) 722-5080. Deborah’s Place has grown to become the city’s largest provider of supportive housing exclusively for women and is recognized nationally. Besides its housing options, Deborah’s Place also links women with social services, such as case management, therapeutic, health, employment and educational services. During the holiday, Deborah’s Place is looking for both monetary as well as “wish list” donations, such as new toiletries, cleaning supplies, and/or linens. A more extensive list of donation requests is located at www.deborahsplace.org under “donations,” or contact Elizabeth Golden at (773) 638-6539 or egolden@deborahsplace.org.

The Dominick’s Finer Foods/ABC 7 Holiday Food Drive runs through the end of December. Food and money, which go to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, can be donated at all Dominick’s stores in the Gain a Million Pounds campaign to feed the hungry. The goal is to reach more than one million pounds of food. For additional opportunities including a virtual food drive visit the depository online at www.chicagofoodbank.org or call David Kady at (773) 843-7291.

Erie Neighborhood House will collect holiday gifts at 1347 W. Erie St. on Thursday, Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 11. Erie’s Holiday with Hearts Bazaar benefits older infants, toddlers, children through 12 years old, and youth between the ages of 13 and 18 years who are Erie program participants. Suggested gift items are toys, books, and children’s clothing. In keeping with Erie’s mission to empower families, Erie parents will have the opportunity to select gifts for their children at the bazaar on Sat., Dec. 12. Gifts are being distributed exclusively to children currently enrolled in Erie House programs. Volunteer inquiries for this event should be directed to Vera Mandilovitch at vmandilovitch@eriehouse.org, or call (312) 432-2282.

Greater Chicago Food Depository (Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation), 4100 W. Ann Lurie Pl. The food depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 600 pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters to 500,000 adults and children in Cook County every year. Last year, the food depository distributed 58 million pounds of nonperishable food and fresh produce, dairy products, and meat — the equivalent of 119,000 meals every day. For more information, log onto www.chicagosfoodbank.org or call (773) 247-FOOD.

Haymarket Center of the McDermott Foundation, 932 W. Washington Blvd., is an in-house support center and outreach program for those struggling with addiction that serves more than 18,000 clients. Its Maternal Addiction Center offers a place for women to detoxify before delivery so their babies are born drug-free. The organization welcomes monetary donations and clothing for infants, toddlers and adults. For more information, contact Robert Manewith at (773) 274–6215, or fax him at (773) 274-5636.

The Illinois Judges Association (IJA) has launched its eighth annual Children’s Book Drive for the holiday season. Under the supervision of Cook County Judge Jesse G. Reyes, IJA immediate past president, children’s books in new and gently used condition can be delivered to the judge’s chambers, Courtroom 2811, in the Daley Center, 55 W. Randolph St. The books will be distributed to low-income families throughout Illinois as part of a series of Family Reading Nights at elementary schools throughout the state in February. Books for youngsters from preschool through 12th grade are welcome. Monetary donations are also accepted. For more information, call Maureen McClellan at IJA (312) 431-1283.

Lakeside Bank is sponsoring its fifth annual food drive, which runs through Fri., Dec. 18, to support the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD). All Lakeside Bank locations are collecting nutritious, non-perishable, unopened, canned and packaged foods. The following are part of the food drive grocery list: non perishable and household goods. Items will be collected at all Lakeside Bank locations: 2200 S. Archer Ave., 2141 S. Indiana Ave., 1055 W. Roosevelt Rd., 141 W. Jackson Blvd., 55 W. Wacker Dr., and 2800 N. Ashland Ave. For every item you donate, you get a raffle ticket to win a $150 gift card. Thus, the more items you donate, the more chances you have to win. The drawing will take place on Wed., Dec. 22. To learn more about Lakeside Bank’s food drive, call (312) 567-1011 or e-mail echianelli@lakesidebank.com.

Interested in re-gifting? Leave it for Love is a gift recycling program in which unwanted gifts are collected and donated to less fortunate older adults. Drop-off site in Chicago is Ritchie Court Cleaners at 1313 N. Ritchie Court, just east of the Ambassador East Hotel. Pick-ups also are available if you call (312) 804-0496. For other sites, please visit www.leaveitforlove.org.

Leukemia Research Foundation offers greeting cards for Christmas and Hanukkah ranging from general, to religious, to progressive. Cards come in boxes of 25 and include one free line of a personalized message. Sample cards can be viewed at www.leukemia-research.org; click “order new cards.” For further information call Dorothy Pfeiffer at (708) 599-5778 or Carl Austin at (847) 424-0600.

Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, 2525 S. Michigan Ave., will deliver more than 1,000 Christmas boxes containing food and gifts to support its elderly neighbors in the community on Sat., Dec. 12. Last year, more than 300 volunteers delivered boxes. For questions about donating contact Patient Relations Officer Kathy Gadalinski at (312) 567-2405 or email her at kgadalinski@mercychicago.org.

Santa Maria Addolorata Food Pantry, 528 N. Ada St., was awarded a grant of $2,500 from Jewel-Osco, which will be used to upgrade the food pantry to store more food and better serve the needy. The grant will allow Santa Maria Addolorata to meet the growing needs of its clients. To donate, call (312) 421-3122.

Secretary of State Jesse White will provide more than 11,000 turkeys and hams on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18 and 19, for various organizations to distribute to city’s neediest. The Holiday Fund is operated through the Emergency Fund for Needy People, but coordinated by White and volunteers. If you would like to participate as a volunteer or donate monetarily, contact the Emergency Fund at (312) 379-0301, x16; go to www.emergencyfund.org; Press Secretary Dave Drucker (312) 814-8301; or the Jesse White Tumblers’ office at (312) 266-7498.

South Loop Neighbors (SLN) at 47 W. Polk St., is collecting new hats, gloves, scarves, and socks. Drop off sites are as follows: Chicago Community Bank in Dearborn Station, 47 W. Polk; Alderman Robert Fioretti’s 2nd Ward Office, 419 S. Dearborn St; or Harris Bank, 1300 S. Wabash Ave. Donations also will be taken at the SLN annual meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn St. Call Carol Hanzyk at (312) 876-0100.

U.S. Marines Toys for Tots partners with Harris Bank, CBS 2 Chicago, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Chicago Wolves, and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, among others. Toys for children 12 and under are being accepted until Sunday, Dec. 20. For drop-off or more information, call Gunnery Sergeant Michael J. Michalski at the Marines Reserve Corps Training Center at (773) 539-6464, ext. 311; e-mail Michael.j.michalski@usmc.mil; or go to chicagotoysfortots.org.

The U.S. Postal Service/Cardiss Collins Center, 433 W. Harrison St., is holding its “Letters to Santa” campaign. The center gets as many as 10,000 letters each year and through Fri., Dec. 18, will have letters addressed to Santa from families in need on hand for your choosing. Those taking letters are encouraged to fulfill the letter-writer’s wishes.

Whole Foods offers a holiday food drive that runs through Mon., Dec. 22, which will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Donate nonperishable food items at Whole Foods Market’s Gold Coast, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, North Halsted, and South Loop locations. For more information, go to the calendar of the Greater Chicago Food Depository at www.chicagosfoodbank.org or call (773) 247-3663.