Hundreds of children receive new winter coats from Brian Urlacher, State’s Attorney Glasgow, Illinois State Crime Commission
December 7
JOLIET – Bears Linebacker Brian Urlacher helped Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow and the Illinois State Crime Commission/Police Athletic League of Illinois give away hundreds of new winter coats to children in need on Saturday at MorningStar Mission.
The winter coat giveaway was part of the Illinois State Crime Commission’s 2009 Clothes For Kids Campaign. State’s Attorney Glasgow is the campaign’s Will County chairman. Urlacher, who is the state chairman, spent more than an hour with fans giving away new coats, posing for photographs and signing autographs.
“Brian Urlacher’s visit to MorningStar Mission added tremendous excitement for everyone who attended our local coat giveaway,” Glasgow said. “His generous involvement in the Clothes For Kids Campaign helped the Illinois State Crime Commission raise the money necessary to buy new, insulated winter coats for 5,400 children in the state.”
More than 500 of the individually wrapped winter coats arrived at MorningStar Mission early Saturday morning for the Will County giveaway. Volunteers from MorningStar and State’s Attorney Glasgow’s office separated the coats by style and size to prepare for the afternoon distribution to children in need.
The state’s attorney noted that the coat giveaway occurred at just the right time as the weather turned snowy and cold this week. He thanked Jerry Elsner, executive director of the Illinois State Crime Commission, for leading the charge to keep children warm this winter and for securing Urlacher’s commitment to the campaign.
Glasgow partnered locally with four Will County not-for-profit organizations that serve the needy: MorningStar Mission, Daybreak Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties and Catholic Charities Children’s Services. The individual agencies identified children in their respective programs who would benefit most by receiving a new winter coat.
“These agencies perform so much good work in our community, particularly during these difficult economic times,” Glasgow said. “I knew that they would place the coats into the hands of children who need them most this winter.”
WJOL’s Outsiders – Stan Janota, Cy, Metal John and Dave Margliano – broadcast live while volunteers separated coats at MorningStar on Saturday morning. The Outsiders interviewed Urlacher while he was en route to one of several coat giveaways in the region as well as Glasgow and agency representatives whose clients received coats.
The state’s attorney thanked MorningStar Mission for hosting the coat giveaway in its Drop-In Center at 350 E. Washington Street. MorningStar, under the supervision of Executive Director Marilyn Farmer and Volunteer Coordinator Jackie Kinney, also organized the volunteers who assisted at the giveaway.