As part of the Elgin Fire Department’s community outreach program, Fire Station 5 offers assistance to the Elgin Community Crisis Center through its annual Winter Wear Collection Drive.

The Community Crisis Center is collecting new and lightly used winter coats, gloves, mittens, hats, boots, snow pants and scarves for men, women, and children. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 31 at all seven of Elgin’s fire stations. Addresses and contact information for each fire station can be found at cityofelgin.org/firestations.

Lillian Lozano, facility manager at the Community Crisis Center, said the organization especially need men’s coats, and ones that can withstand the extreme winter conditions of the Chicagoland area. The Community Crisis Center requests that no lightweight or spring items, sweatshirts, sweaters or wool dress coats, be donated at this time.

Fire Station 5 has worked with the Community Crisis Center for the past three years, assisting in the winter clothing collection drive. According to Lozano, about half of Community Crisis Center’s collections come through the fire stations each year. The collections are delivered via ambulance on a weekly basis, typically carrying at least 10 bags of coats.

The Community Crisis Center is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency temporary safe shelter to numerous women and children each year who are homeless due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or financial crisis. The organization also offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, education and other assistance programs.

Elgin Fire Station 5 works with the Community Crisis Center, while other fires stations work with other local organizations for community outreach.

“Each station finds a niche in their district that will help benefit the community,” said Bryan McMahon, assistant fire chief.

Community Outreach Program

• Station 1 – Boys & Girls Club
• Station 2 – Food for Greater Elgin
• Station 3 – Advocate Sherman – Pediatric Unit
• Station 4 – Kane County Triad
• Station 5 – Community Crisis Center
• Station 6 – Reading program with U-46 schools such as Washington Elementary School and Lawry Elementary School
• Station 7 – Community Garden on Fire Station #7 property

The programs are very beneficial to the community. McMahon said that Fire Station 7 built a community garden when it recognized neighbors in Del Webb and other townhomes could not have gardens. The station had plenty of space to build a garden and now has 28 plots.

“This is the third year of the community garden. Fire Station 7 donates a tremendous amount of produce to local food pantries, with 1,500 pounds this year alone,” said McMahon.

Questions about the Winter Wear Collection Drive can be direct to Captain Dick Cummings at 847-931-6194 or cummings_r@cityofelgin.org.

SOURCE: City of Elgin news release