Lily's Closet

03/15/2021

Hello Everyone!! Wow, it's been a minute since our last post. Rest assured, we've been working tirelessly since we last updated!!

We are so pleased to announce our new website and the ability for people to not only schedule donation pick ups and to request backpacks right from our site, but you can also make monetary donations now as well and download our tax information and print out donation receipts for your tax purposes as well. A very exciting step for the organization.

Please stop on by our new website and stay tuned for more regular updates from Lily's Closet!

www.lilyscloset.org

Lily’s Closet helps ease the transition faced by children in foster care by bringing them a little extra comfort and joy in the form of hand-picked, age appropriate backpacks filled with essential clothing items & small toys.

11/09/2020

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to hop on our page here and let you know that we will be relaunching a new and improved business plan and website in Jan of the new year. Until then, we are preparing for that; and still taking in donations if anyone needs us to pick up within the Chicagoland area; and we are still donating backpacks to those in need. Please message us for details.

Speaking of the Chicagoland area, as you will see in early 2021, we've decided as an organization to only serve the Chicagoland and surrounding areas to better serve our immediate communities. Again, more on that in the new year.

We are also happy to announce that we are partnering with select Keller Williams Realty locations in the Chicagoland area, to take in donations throughout this holiday season. Thank you to Keller Williams for the partnership opportunity!

Stay safe out there everyone; and thank you again for all of your continued support!

08/22/2020

Thank you to Dorothy Piecuch & Kelly for this generous donation!! So very appreciated!

08/21/2020

Hello Everyone!!!

It has been a WHILE since we’ve updated and I’m going to do my best to explain what we’ve been up to in the last month or so.

First, we have filled and shipped out over 30 backpacks. They’ve gone all over the country. Only a small few of them we’ve been able to deliver in person which was so nice to meet recipients face to face.

I (Leslie), have been overwhelmed with the extremely generous amount of donations that have poured in from really all over the place. I’ve spent lots of time in my car driving all over the Chicagoland and surrounding areas to do pick ups. Ive spent countless hours packing backpacks in our storage unit (which I’ve upgraded so we have lots more room).

I’ve been really humbled by everyone that has stepped up and brought us clothes, books, shoes, crayons, coloring books, coats, the list goes on. I’ve been trying my best to just get each of the backpacks out and I’ve got 2 left before this first round list is considered complete.

My last two are for a 12 yr old boy, (men’s medium); and a girl 3T. We ARE running light on those specific sizes, so if you’ve got it on your heart to donate, those are most needed right now.

Once I’ve got those two out and on their way, I’ll post another update about our overall move forward plan, and will also soon share our new website with you. Things have grown...QUICKLY and I could not be happier.

Thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart!

Leslie

07/21/2020

We have been overwhelmed with donations, organizing, and packing needed backpacks!! Haven’t had much time to post and catch everyone up on things. Here are some main things:

We are on backpack number 15 that has been shipped out; and we are working on about 13 more to get through this initial portion!! I am over the moon happy that we are able to help out in this very very small way.

We have received SO many donations from so many people, I have not been able to do individual posts about them all. PLEASE bear with me if I miss listing out your name. I’m doing my best keeping up with who sent what and acknowledging. Please know if you’ve donated ANYTHING how much it is needed and appreciated.

Here’s my best attempt at a list of our latest donors. These people have donated either backpacks, clothing or shoes as well as their time, toys and materials in order to help Lily’s Closet keep going. Thank you to the following (if you know you’ve donated something and you don’t see your name, please speak up):

Lindsey Pearlman
Katie Berry-Swanson
Nancy Leyh
Loyola Hospital in Maywood
Kim Gatenby
Kim Pryor Cossin & Rob Cossin
Barbara Ministrelli Kerrigan
Brienne Swanson
Jason Leyh
Pat Cray
Pete & Bonnie Ministrelli
Chelsey Fera
Laura Coleman
Anna Renee Moretto
Sarah Ross
Megan Renner Rieck
Arielle Williams Allen
Angela Montagna
Dominique Betancourt-Schapp
Regina Bernacik Gagliardo

A couple shots of just some of the packs that have gone out within the last few days:

07/17/2020

Hi All. Do any of our local contacts have girls size 4T clothes I can take off your hands?? We need that size up through teen girl pretty badly. We have mountains of all other sizes except for that.

Let me know and I’ll come pick it up.

07/16/2020

Hello All!! It was a quiet night last night, but today...today said "oh just wait..."

I have a list of backpacks to get built out, so bear with me as I get all of their Amazon Wishlists posted and the pinned post on our page updated with all of the new biggest needs as well.

For now, we have 4 sisters. Ranging in age from 1 up to 7 years old. I do have lots of options already for the 1 year old and I have some for the 3 year old; but wanted to put out a wishlist for each of them just incase.

There will be more coming just like this, so stay tuned.

*************************************************************

7yr. Old wears 9/10 shirts and pants and size 3 shoe
AMAZON WISHLIST HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/7X960JXA1DTE?ref_=wl_share

5yr. old wears 7/8 shirt and pants and size 12 shoes
AMAZON WISHLIST HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3HM3X4NT23ZDQ?ref_=wl_share

3yr. old wears 5/6 shirt and pants and 11 shoes
AMAZON WISHLIST HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/21RZC7MUL5BPE?ref_=wl_share

1yr. old wears 4t shirt and pants and toddler size 8 shoes
AMAZON WISHLIST HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/KE2TJYB36OAQ?ref_=wl_share

07/14/2020

And last one for the night, we had a group donation from generous moms: Elsie Smith, Natasha Nichols, Angela Montagna. Thank you all so much!! You all sent some truly great items.

07/14/2020

And from one of our most favorite couples, Brian Ladd & Chantelle Mika-Ladd. Thank you so much for this generous donation. We promise that the Cars backpack will go to a very loving and deserving home.

07/14/2020

From Phil & Mary Hammel. So awesome. Thank you so very much. These are heading out this weekend in the teen girl packs as well. From our wishlist!! Very much appreciated!

07/14/2020

Thank you Florette Most. These will also be included in the teen packs for this weekend! Love it.

07/14/2020

One of my absolute favorite photographers and the coolest guy ever, thank you Rod Ralston. These will be packed in the two packs we are making for the teen girls to be delivered this weekend. Thank you so very much.