January 2025
Part Two
This exciting milestone is bringing us one step closer to our goal of creating a robust C I T Y Welcome Center! And after the success of our holiday pop-up shop, we were given the opportunity to extend our lease at this location for 6 months!
So, we are following in the footsteps of other established nonprofit organizations and moving forward in establishing a welcoming shop for the whole community that sells quality re-sale merchandise. With all the proceeds going back to C.I.T.Y. of Support, we hope this will cultivate an ongoing stream of revenue that supports our current efforts and future plans
After a decade of devoting thousands of volunteer hours to the development and growth of C.I.T.Y. of Support, we are happy to share that Beth Deiter has been officially hired as our Executive Director. She will now have the time & resources needed to manage the organization’s year-round programming while also overseeing this exciting new endeavor.
Board Members Beth and Cailyn were invited to WGN’s Spotlight Chicago to discuss December’s Holiday Pop-Up Recycled Toy Sale!
Watch the interview here!
YOUR RESPONSES ON THE SURVEY WILL HELP US DETERMINE OUR STORE HOURS AND CLASS SCHEDULE!
While our recycled toy shop (selling gently-used toys & specialty therapeutic items) will help us generate revenue to stay in business, our play space will be a place to fulfill some of our wishes. We imagine this as a space to:
Host in-person interactive child/caregiver classes
Provide "social hour" classes for school-aged kids
Gather for parent-only meet-ups and classes
Invite the general community to volunteer, understand, and interact with our community increasing everyone's capacity to be compassionate, welcoming, and inclusive.
We have some ideas, but we want to know if we're on the right track. Please complete this short survey to let us know what is on your wishlist!
AND HOW ABOUT THAT TRANSFORMATION?
Goodbye orange and brown walls!
Check out our new Facebook Page devoted to the shop!
We will be sharing information about class registration, different merchandise we have in stock, and volunteer opportunities on a regular basis, so follow us to get all the updates!
We are currently developing our volunteer software, so for now, if any of the opportunities below interest you, please send us an email:
hello@cityofsupport.org
OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS:
Signupfor3-hourshiftstoworkatthestore!Taskswillinvolveinteracting withcustomersandcleaning/counting/sorting/re-stockingdonations.
Signuptoparticipateasavolunteerindifferentclasses!Taskswillinclude interactingwithchildren/parents,modeling/participatingintheactivities,and makingaccommodationsforlearning,assuggestedbytheinstructors.
HighSchoolers:Participateasassistantsinourafterschool“socialhour” groups!Consistsofa1-3hourweeklycommitmentforaminimumof8weeks.
Organizeatoydonationwithyourgroup/school/scouts!
Joinusinthestoreforfuturecard-makingandNICUBagAssemblynights!
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THERAPISTS:
Collaboratewithustocreateaclassthatyouwouldliketo teachatourspace. Wearecurrentlylookingfortherapiststo host8-weekinteractiveclasseswithspecificthemes(i.e.music, motorplanning,yoga,improv).Whatareyourideas?
Considerrentingourspacetorunoneofyourprivateprograms!
Provideashortcourse/Q&Aataparentmeet-upgroupaboutatopicthat featuresyourexpertise.Consideroptionstohost/recordthepresentationin ahybrid/zoomformattobeaddedtoouron-demandwebinarlibrary.
Participateasanin-storecorrespondentforour“ProfessionalPicks”social mediapostsonTuesdays!Reviewdifferentproducts&shareyourexpertise.