The Give Back Girls

Anita & Toria are joined by Erin Jennings, the Director of Resource Development at Habitat for Humanity of McLean County! Check out our conversation to learn more about how Habitat for Humanity helps our community in more ways than you might think, where you can volunteer, and how to reach out to Habitat for Humanity for help. Learn more at https://habitatmclean.org/

The Girls talk with Kersten Wilson, Impact and Engagement Coordinator, and Tracey Polson, Executive Director, from YouthBuild McLean County! YouthBuild McLean County provides educational and occupational support to educationally and economically disadvantaged people in our community, helping people reach educational goals, learn skills for the workplace, and create a better future for themselves and their families.If you or someone you know is interested in applying to YouthBuild or helping set YouthBuild students up for success, head to their website: https://www.youthbuildmcleancounty.org/get-involved

Learn about a local non-profit that is providing critical and compassionate free medical care to medically-underserved McLean County residents. Join Anita and Toria as they talk to Holly Wayland-Hall, Executive Director, and Bridget Roop, Dental & Office Coordinator of the Community Health Care Clinic!If you or someone you know needs medical care, you can apply at https://chcchealth.org/become-a-patient/ or in the Clinic at 900 Franklin Ave, Normal, IL. And if you’re interested in donating or volunteering with the Community Health Care Clinic, head to the website at https://chcchealth.org/ways-to-give/

Toria and Anita are joined by the President and a board member of the Prairie Pride Coalition (PPC), Dave Bentlin and Adam Ruble!The PPC is dedicated to the implementation of full civil rights protections for gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender community members. They exist to provide resources, support, and events that create connection and community for all people.Check out all the resources PPC provides, including a local business directory, at https://ppc-il.org/resources/And, be sure to check out upcoming events and volunteer opportunities at https://ppc-il.org/

Join The Girls as they sit down with Laura Jennings-Mitchell, Executive Director, and Katherine Dunning, Clinical Director, from ABC Counseling & Family Services! ABC Counseling specializes in the treatment of sexual abuse and behavior concerns in young people, adoption services for adoptive and birth parents, and counseling for women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.To learn more about the services provided by ABC Counseling, seek clinical assistance, or donate, please visit https://abccounseling.org/

Join the Give Back Girls as they talk to Rebecca Impens, the Deputy Director of Communication and Stewardship of Best Buddies International. Best Buddies Illinois is about creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).Best Buddies is the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the millions of people worldwide with IDDs.If you or someone you know has an IDD who could use additional community and support or you’d like to volunteer, head to https://www.bestbuddies.org/illinois/ to learn more about the available programs and how to get involved!

Toria and Anita are excited to introduce Shelley Leman, the Founder & Executive Director of Joshua Tree Ministries. Joshua Tree exists to help break families out of generational poverty, and one of their avenues to help is through the establishment of a non-profit daycare in Bloomington. Check out https://joshuatreeministries.org/ to learn more about the planned childcare center, join the waitlist for a place in the daycare, or about volunteer opportunities, and make sure you’re checking out the Annual Golf Outing fundraiser on June 27th!

The Girls talk to Kate Burcham and Shannon Smith from Lilac Rising, a new non-profit in McLean County, focused on providing women with short term assistance, scholarships, and connections to other longer-term resources if needed. If you or someone you know could use some help or you would like to donate time, services, or money, be sure to check out the resources available at lilacrising.org

The Give Back Girls are thrilled to welcome Jackie Gunderson, the Executive Director at The Penguin Project of McLean County, and Georgia, a young artist with The Penguin Project!Every year, The Penguin Project puts on a theater production where all of the roles are filled by children and young adults with developmental disabilities including Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other disorders. They are joined on stage by their “peer mentors,” a group of young people who have volunteered to work with them side-by-side and guide them through 4 months of rehearsals and to the final production.If you or someone you know would like to participate in The Penguin Project as an artist or a peer mentor, visit https://www.penguinprojectmclean.org/Be sure to get your tickets for The Addams Family, June 4-7, at U-High’s Stroud Auditorium!

Join The Give Back Girls as they talk to Hilary Pacha from One Hope Project! One Hope Project’s mission is to walk alongside clients on their journey to recovery from eating disorders through education, intervention, and treatment, and we learned so much from Hilary about eating disorders and the opportunities One Hope provides.If you or someone you know needs help from One Hope or would like to volunteer, head out to their website at onehopeproject.org