The resilient fireweed is one of the first signs of life to emerge from the soil after devastating forest fires. Its seeds lie dormant for many years awaiting the warmth necessary for germination, and ironically it is the forest fire that provides that warmth.

     Together We Cope experienced a fire Nov. 21 at its headquarters in Tinley Park. Within hours, the community began sending monetary and material donations to bring the agency back to life. Generous hearts provided the warmth, and now we are flowering.

     In just 24 hours people began making donations online from our website to help us rise from the ashes. There was the young man who brought boxes of diapers to aid our youngest clients, and the businessman who brought $500 in grocery store gift cards. One man showed up at our door wearing a hardhat and carrying a shovel, wanting to help with the cleanup. A child offered to give her Thanksgiving dinner to a child in need. A company offered “men and machines” to clean up the mess.    

     Our building at 17010 So. Oak Park Avenue is closed until at least early next year, and we are unable to accept any food, clothing or furniture donations until fire repairs are complete. Fire, smoke and water damaged everything in our food pantry and resale shop, and we are forced to dispose of all stock. Our insurance company is handling building renovation.

     Staff at the 17010 building have been relocated to our Administration Building several blocks away. We are operating our Santa’s Workshop children’s Christmas program out of a donated storefront. Fortunately, toy and pajama donations were not stored at 17010 so none were lost in the fire. We can accept toys and pajamas until Dec. 5 and arrangements should be made with Trina Arvetis at karvetis@yahoo.com. Our client families have been directed to other food pantries in the region with whom we have a sharing relationship and we will direct donations to those pantries. We will get a major assist from the Greater Chicago Food Depository when the time comes to re-stock our pantry. Our partners at United Way stand at the ready to help out wherever needed.

     We are hopeful we’ll find a temporary location for our Nu2u resale shop, at which time we’ll ask our friends to clean out their closets and bring us their gently used clothing and housewares. Revenue from our resale shop is critical to our agency. Watch this website for news on that project.      

Here’s what you can do to help us now

Make donations online from our website www.togetherwecope.org.

Buy grocery store gift cards for distribution to our food pantry clients, contact troman@togetherwecope.org.

Go to the Greater Chicago Food Depository website www.chicagosfoodbank.org to find a map of food pantries in our region where you can bring a food donation.

Bring toy and pajama donations to us until Dec. 5, contact karvetis@yahoo.com.

Plan a food drive after March 2023 to help us re-stock our pantry.

Collect gently used clothing and housewares to bring us when we establish a temporary collection site.

We are grateful for our friends who are standing with us during this crisis.