Bringing Hope with Wayside

December 9, 2020

Rachel Westman

Elgin wayside center

The Elgin Wayside Center has been serving the homeless since 1993 offering food, clothing, a place to rest, and hope. There are so many lost and hurting people that have seen their lives changed with the help of Wayside! The Elgin Wayside Center is a day program, where men, women and children who most often struggle with addictions with drugs and alcohol and the challenges of being homeless are able to meet basic needs. As the weather gets colder in the Chicagoland area, more and more people are needing shelter. They are currently in need of warm winter clothing that can be brought to their location at 453 Fremont St. in Elgin.Wayside Lunch

Hope Chest Thrift Store

The Elgin Wayside Center was thrilled to open Hope Chest as their thrift store this fall! All of the proceeds will go to serving the people of Elgin Wayside Center. Anne Marie Anderson was kind enough to talk about Hope Chest and how it is meeting needs in their community. She currently serves as the assistant manager and had so many wonderful examples of how Hope Chest is making a difference in the surrounding Elgin neighborhoods.

“We want to show love for the community with a quality shopping experience where people feel loved and special,” Anne Marie said.  They take their best donated items and have made them available for members of the community and people who use Wayside as a resource of help. They want the community to have a place where they can come shop in a clean environment with affordable items. Recently a man who has been receiving meals at Elgin Wayside Center brought his mother to shop. They were able to find things for themselves and their family. Another man found a nice suit!

Anne Marie has even used the short time people come to donate items or shop to talk to them and hear their stories. A woman came to donate brand new, beautiful baby shower gifts that her daughter received. Her daughter just lost her baby at 36 weeks. She turned a heartbreaking situation into an opportunity for someone in need to use these new baby items. Anne Marie has been able to pray for people and listen to them as they share their hearts.

They are in great need of volunteers! Sorting, merchandising, and putting out donations are a few ways Hope Chest needs help. Currently their hours are from 10am to 4pm. Their goal is to have enough volunteers where they can be open on Saturdays as well.

It’s an exciting time for Hope Chest! They would love for you to serve alongside them.


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