October 6, 2021, Lockport, Il

What can you do with a pile of used bicycles? If you’re the Lockport Resource Center, you can help send someone to college. We are pleased to announce our 2021 Lockport Resource Center Transformation Scholarship recipient, Allison Bobek of Lockport. Allison will graduate Lockport Township High School in 2022 and has been an LRC volunteer for nine years, since she modeled a dress in our First Anniversary fashion show! Allison is active in band, including the award-winning marching band, where she is a section leader as well as being a National Honor Society member. She is active in her church community at Shepherd of the Hill in Lockport. Allison will be the first in her family to attend a hour-year college and plans to study neuro-psychology.

The Lockport Resource Center Transformation Scholarship Program is funded through donations to the Lockport Resource Center as well as sales through their Pass It On Thrift Shop. Each year, the LRC sponsors a bicycle drive in conjunction with the Lockport Police Department. The bike drive evolved from separate programs sponsored by the LRC and Police Department seven years ago to be more focused. This past spring, more than 160 bicycles were donated by Lockport area residents. Through a series of work days, bikes were cleaned and repaired. Those that were beyond repair became parts donors and what couldn’t be used was sent to recycling.

Of the 145 bikes that were complete, more than a dozen were given to local residents who contacted the LRC or Police Department with needs. The rest were sold for between $5 and $35, assuring affordable bikes were available for the community. The LRC thanks the Lockport Police Department, City of Lockport, Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, Lockport High School and the many volunteers who shared their time, talent, tools, trucks, and so much more.

The LRC is now accepting applications for our 2022 Transformation Scholarship. Applicants must live in Lockport or Homer Townships. Scholarships may be used for any level of education and are $1,000 per year. To apply, email lockportresource@gmail.com . Tax deductible donations are always accepted. Visit our website www.lockportresource.org for details or find us on facebook.

It’s been a long and quiet time as the country, and the world, faced a pandemic and lockdown. We have all learned new ways to do things, developed our own mask-wearing style, and taken a little time to slow down.

Here at the Lockport Resource Center and Pass It On Thrift Shop we have been a little slower in the shopping business, but still pretty busy helping people. We’ve continued to do what we always do – helping our neighbors. We completed our annual Bicycle Re-Homing event as a virtual sale. To say we were overwhelmed by the response may be an understatement. With the help of several dedicated volunteers we raised enough to completely fund an entire Transformation Scholarship in one day.

Our virtual fundraising has taken off as well with record donations via our PayPal link on this website as well as Facebook donations. We love Facebook donations because we receive the entire amount of the donation. PayPal takes a small cut for their effort, but we appreciate every donation to our mission.

Speaking of our Transformation Scholarship, we are always accepting applications from area students. Simply send an email to lockportresource@gmail.com. Be sure to include an active telephone number and email address then watch your phone or email for a response from our committee. All applicants must be residents of Lockport or Homer Townships. These include, but are not limited to Lockport, Homer Glen, Crest Hill, Fairmont and parts of Joliet and Romeoville.

Please note our new hours for the Pass It On Thrift Shop. Tuesday from 10 til 4, Wednesday from 10 til 6, Thursday from noon til 6 pm, CLOSED FRIDAY, Saturday from 10 til 2.

Also our new donation only hours on Sunday from 2 to 4 pm and Thursday morning from 10 am til noon.

Donations must be scheduled. Please call 815.838.9615 to schedule your donation. Please note there are new donation restrictions in effect as well.

We love you Lockport #passiton

Hello to all our Resource fans out there. Like most of you, most of us are sheltering, socially distancing and generally being good citizens. Others of us are essential employees in fields that lead us into the heart of risk.

During this time, while we are not accepting material donations, we’re still accepting cash donations to help families. There will likely be much need in the months and weeks to come. People are in uncharted waters with sudden lack of income or reduced income.

Please consider a monetary donation if you can, either through Facebook, our PayPal button or mailing a check to P. O. Box 854, Lockport, IL 60441. Remember all donations are tax deductible.

This is your chance to be an LRC volunteer. While spending time at home and emptying closets, take a good, hard look at your donations. Give the clothes a quick wash and fold them neatly. Assure there are no tears or stains. Are all the buttons there? Do the zippers work? Good. Store them in a nice dry place until we reopen.

We’ll get through this together. And we look forward to seeing you all out and about again.

Peace to you from the LRC volunteers!!!

#passiton #365ministries #supportlocal

Today was not shaping up to be a great day at the Lockport Resource Center. We’re in the business of helping people and I was preparing to deliver the bad news that, despite our networking and connecting, we would not be able to help a family in need. A family that needed relatively little to get over the hump. Without oversharing, all they needed was the overdue on their phone bill covered until someone started a new job next week. The health crises were over, new life on the way, it should be a happy time of possibilities for the future.

But our Emergency Relief Fund was essentially out of money. We made a plea on social media, made some phone calls to resources that can sometimes help, but nothing was coming in. I was preparing to drive to the LRC to make the uncomfortable call. We just wouldn’t be able to help this time. And that’s when my cell phone rang.

A check had arrived from Network for Good. For those who are not familiar with Network for Good, they are the people behind the fundraiser buttons on Facebook and other sources. The check was just enough to cover the loan and assure this family would be in touch through this rough patch.

So if you have clicked the DONATE button on one of our Facebook posts recently, Thank You. If you have been meaning to, please do the next time you see one. If you’re not on Facebook or just feeling generous right now, you can donate through our PAYPAL account using the button found on our page.

Your cash donation is always welcome and always 100% tax deductible. Donating online allows you to choose the LRC ministry that benefits, whether you want to support our Transformation Scholarship, Emergency Relief Fund, Daily Operations or our new Capital Fund. You can also choose to make a donation to our general fund that we will use to the best benefit of our community.

As always, thank you for your continued support of the Lockport Resource Center.

#passiton

The Lockport Resource Center Annual Coat Drive and Distribution is in full swing. As noted in the Lockport Legend, we are in the process of collecting gently used coats, hats, scarves, mittens and other winter gear for distribution. This year we are teaming with the folks at Whizzy Puff Sweet Spot and Sizzles Restaurant, both located in the Sizzles Plaza at the corner of MacGregor and Thornton Streets in Lockport.

Donations may be dropped at either the Whizzy Puffs location during their normal business hours each morning where you can also pick up fresh bakery and coffee or enjoy their cereal bar, or Sizzles Restaurant, an annual Best Restaurant award winner, serving a variety of tasty fresh lunch and dinner selections.

Donations may also be dropped at the Lockport Resource Center Pass It On Thrift Shop at 944 N. State Street in Lockport, during normal business hours.

On Saturday November 2, we will hold a sorting event at a location to be determined, to sort coats by size.

Distribution will be Saturday November 9th at Sizzles Plaza. A suggested donation of $5 per coat is requested, however, nobody will be turned away if unable to pay.