OPERATION CLASSROOM

HELPING HOMELESS STUDENTS IN
WAUKEGAN SCHOOL DISTRICT 60

Koula Kanne
Feb. 3, 2022

For the last 21 months, the parishioners of St. Demetrios Church in Libertyville, together with our family, friends and neighbors, put into practice what Jesus told us to do: “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was naked and you gave me clothing” (Mathew 25:35).

Since June 2020 we have provided thousands of pounds of foods to our homeless students in Waukegan where we have more than 500 homeless students. We provided thousands of school supplies and personal hygiene items, thousands of warm coats and other warm clothing.

Who are these homeless students? These students are covered under the 1986 “McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act” established by Congress and amended by the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (Pub. L.114-95). It is a program in the Federal Education Department, and the aim is to keep the homeless students in school. It is a requirement that every school district must designate a liaison to be established in every school district to assist the homeless students to stay in school and succeed. The liaisons must be either social workers or teachers. We have been working closely with the liaison from Waukegan to assist in keeping the students in school. A hungry and cold child cannot learn. A child needs clean and dry clothes. That is why we provide food, school supplies, warm clothes, and laundry detergent to wash their clothes.

Where do the homeless students stay? Our homeless students stay either in shelters, or in small hotel rooms paid for by the government; or they live with others. They do not have their own home to live in. The students we assist are from pre-K to 12th grade. Last August, when cars full of school supplies were delivered to our liaison for Waukegan homeless students, she got teary eyed and said: “You are God-sent. We had no school supplies to give the students, and look what you gave to our students, lots of school supplies.”

We will continue helping our homeless students in Waukegan. Donations are accepted every fourth Saturday between noon and 2:00 P.M., at St. Demetrios Church Hall, 1400 N. O’Plain Rd., Libertyville, IL 60048. If you are unable to come to the church hall, or if you have questions, please call the church office at 224-513-5530. With God’s help, let’s continue every month doing what Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

The request for specific types of donations changes monthly according to the current needs of our homeless students in Waukegan School District 60. In February, we will be grateful for donations of non-perishable foods and laundry detergents.

November & December 2021
Operation Classroom

The November and December collection dates are moved up a week due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. We continue to support the over 500 homeless students in the Waukegan Schools. They participate in the McKinney-Vento Program, the federally mandated program for homeless students where students must attend classes and actively engage in doing required school work.

Nov. 20 - Operation Classroom Collection, noon-2 pm
Special needs are underwear and socks for boys and girls in all sizes.
Personal care items and laundry detergent are also needed, as are non-perishable food items. Cans should have pull tabs. All food should be microwavable and require minimal to no preparation.

Dec. 18 - Operation Classroom Collection, noon-2 pm
Special needs are long johns, pajamas and the non-skid sticky bottom socks.
Personal care items and laundry detergent are also needed, as are non-perishable food items. Cans should have pull tabs. All food should be microwavable and require minimal to no preparation.

Drop-off is at the far west doors for the church hall.
Thank you for your ongoing support,
The sisters of the St. Demetrios Philoptochos Society and the hungry, homeless kids of Waukegan Public Schools.

October 21 Operation Classroom

The Operation Classroom date for October is Saturday, October 23. It is from noon until 2 PM in our parish hall. Please come to the far west doors. Items of need this month are gently worn or new children's winter jackets and socks in all sizes. We also need the same in adult sizes. We continue to need laundry detergent, personal care items as well as non-perishable food items. Be sure the cans have pull tabs.

We donate to the over 500 homeless students attending school in Waukegan. If you don't have time to shop, you can mail a check to the Saint Demetrios Philoptochos Society at our church. We will go shopping for you.

Thank you for your ongoing support,
The Sisters of the St. Demetrios Philoptochos and the hungry homeless students of Waukegan

August 21 Operation Classroom Update

Our St. Demetrios Philoptochos and Parish are collecting school supplies for the Waukegan Unit 60 homeless students. There are currently 500 homeless students from 4K through High School. We will be collecting basic school supplies each Sunday Divine Liturgy during the months of August and September. You may leave your donation on the table as you enter the side hall for Divine Liturgy. Items needed include spiral bound notebooks, pens, #2 pencils, small plastic pencil sharpeners, school glue, blunt nose scissors, erasers, watercolors, and Crayons 24 packs. We are using the quilt proceeds for pack backs and the pre-calculus calculators this year if they need them. You may still purchase back packs, if you wish, for the grade school students as we are only purchasing for the High School students. We will continue to collect nonperishable food also.

If you can't make it any of the Sundays, the Operation Classroom Committee will continue to collect school supplies and nonperishable food on the fourth Saturday of the month from noon until 2 PM. The next collection date will be Sat., Aug. 28. The drop off point remains the far west door of the Parish Hall.

The hungry, homeless students of Waukegan and the Sisters of The St. Demetrios Philoptochos Society thank you.

July 2021 Update

Our July food drop off is this Sat., July 24 from noon until 2PM. The location is still the far west door of our hall. We continue to collect non-perishable food, hygiene products, and laundry detergent. In-class learning for our homeless kids will start in September. We are also collecting basic school supplies such as pens, #2 pencils, pencil sharpeners, spiral notebooks, Crayons in 24 packs, and erasers. We are continuing to collect for North Chicago and Zion.

Our quilt raffle generated $1,530 for our students. The winner was Irene Kallas of Highland Park. We are awaiting direction from our school districts and will be using that for more expensive items once they identify a need. We have already used $330 for backpacks for our Zion High School students. We thank Ed and Koula Kanne for negotiating with Eddie Bauer at Hawthorn Mall. They were able to purchase 15 backpacks at a huge discount! Their subdivision donated supplies to fill them!

On behalf of our hungry, homeless students, we thank you for your ongoing support,

The sisters of the St. Demetrios Philoptochos

PS: If you can't make it this Saturday, you can bring your donation Sunday and drop it off at the far west door after church.

February 2021 UPDATE

We would like to thank everyone who has dropped off non-perishable food and personal care items on Sat., Feb. 27. We collected 1,312 pounds of non-perishable food, a huge quantity of personal care items, diapers, wipes, laundry and dish soap. While most of this went to our school programs, we have anonymous food bags in the entryway for our parishioners and their friends in need. If you know anyone in need, please take them a bag of food on your way out of church on Sunday.

Our next drop off day is Sat., March 27 from noon until 2 PM. The location is the far west door of our parish hall.

Thank you for your ongoing support.
The hungry, homeless students and the sisters of the St. Demetrios Philoptochos Society

December 2020 Update

The St. Demetrios Philoptochos (ladies charitable society) collected 468 pounds of food on Dec. 12 for the children in need in the Waukegan School District. On Dec. 19, the St. Demetrios Philoptochos Food Insufficiency Committee wrapped over 670 gifts for Homeless Children.

Our Priest Emeritus, Father John Sardis, and numerous donors cooked enough Christmas dinners for 1,000 needy students and family in the Waukegan McKinney Vento program. John Iskalis, a life long member of our parish, has volunteered to deliver the food and gifts with a Iskalis Floor Show truck. Our Parish Community is proud and honored to be investing in our local needy children. They are the future of our community.

Thanks to all who have helped us. Our next food, coat, and long john drop-off is Sat., Jan. 23 from noon to 2 PM. We wish you all a Merry Christmas.

2020 Fall Update

Operation Project is ongoing.
To date, we have collected and delivered around 1500 lbs. of food and numerous school supplies, including thermometers and hygiene products, to students in need in Waukegan School District #60.
Thank you to all that have donated.