The Weekly Show 10/26/24

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the weekly show here on iHeartRadio,
A ninety three nine Light FM, one A three five
Kiss FM, and Rock ninety five to five. I'm Paulina,
and every week we're here to discuss a variety of
topics that matter to Chicagoland, from health, education, to finances and.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
So much more.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Today on the show, we have a new episode with
our friends Brady and Whitney Reynolds for Whitney's Women, and
I'll be talking to our friends at W Girls and
CPA talking about an upcoming event, Hope for the Holidays.
And I'll be talking to our friends at the Pennies
Purpose talking about their six annual blanket Drive and blanket
making and blank and a blanket making opportunity. So let's

(00:39):
kick off the show. Hi, It's Paulina here with iHeartMedia Chicago,
and it's our community affairs show. Today on the show,
I have two special guests, Sinaia Stubbs, President and CEO
of the Children's Place Association, and I also have excuse
me one second, and I also have Katie Hall, president
of the W Girls Chicago Chapter.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
How are you, ladies, wonderful, thank you, how are you?

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I'm so good. Thank you both for being here with
us today. Thank you really do appreciate it. Of course.
So today we are talking about hope for the holidays,
and this is, you know, something that I wanted to
sort of dive into with both of you here, So
this is awesome. First things first, can you both sort
of give a little bit of a brief background about

(01:25):
yourselves and your current role if you want to start.

Speaker 4 (01:27):
Sonaia, absolutely so. I am a native Chicago and born
and bred on the West Side of Chicago, and in
my current role, I lead the Children's Place Association. We
do a great number of things, but at the core
of what we do is making sure that our communities,
our families, our children are well taken care of in

(01:50):
the midst of circumstances we can't change. We want to
pour into their lives, early learning, foster care, all the
things that we do to make sure that they are
doing well even in the midst of some of the
challenges that they are facing.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Wonderful. Thank you and Kate.

Speaker 5 (02:08):
I am also a born and bred Chicago native. So
i am the president of the W Girls Chicago chapter
and W Girls is a nonprofit organization that is on
a mission to empower women and children through fundraising, volunteerism,
and outreach. So we actually do that by working with

(02:28):
a series of local nonprofits that are aligned to that mission.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Wonderful, Thank you both and thank you both for being here.
So can you share sort of the main mission behind
Hope for the Holidays and what impacts the event has
on the community?

Speaker 3 (02:43):
Sure, so I will jump in there.

Speaker 5 (02:45):
For Hope for the Holidays is w Girls' largest annual
fundraising event. It is our eighth annual Hope for the Holidays,
and we are really excited for it to be benefiting
the Children's Places Association this year. So I can let
Samantha speak a little bit more to the mission and
how they plan to use the funds.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
Absolutely. So it's so exciting for us because, as I
mentioned a few minutes ago, we do wonderful programs like
early learning, supportive housing, and foster care, and a lot
of times what people don't realize is that within those programs,
the funding that we receive to provide those programs is

(03:29):
generally very heavily restricted. So the funders, city, state, county,
whatever the case, they tell you how you must spend
the money. And that's great. It's wonderful because it provides
much need to support, but it doesn't always meet the
very dynamic and changing needs of the populations that we serve.

(03:51):
And so when we have partners like w Girls and
through their initiatives, they are helping to close some of
those funds gaps for our families. So it can be
anything from a family needs some emergency assistance because they
had an unforeseen circumstance with their housing or with a

(04:12):
food need. It can be helping a child with autism
in our early Learning center have the sensory supports that
they need to supplement their school day. It can be
a child in our Thrive after school program receiving some
much needed behavioral health and mental health counseling. So it

(04:33):
really just runs the gamut, but it really is centered
on their funding. Their support is helping us meet those unmet.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Needs absolutely and sinel how do you choose the families
and the individuals who benefit from the support raised during
this event?

Speaker 2 (04:49):
You know?

Speaker 4 (04:50):
Is it the old saying that word of mouth goes
a very long way. So with our early Learning center,
our center is right there in the heart of the community,
and so it can be anything from current families who
they have more children and so they bring those next
children into our care. It can be people driving past

(05:13):
and just kind of wondering who we are and what
we're doing in that space. Certainly is also the case
in our supportive housing program, So it really depends on
a lot of word of mouth, a lot of We
have lots of community partners that we interface with, so
we have some referral pipelines through those partners, whether it
be public schools, whether it be local YMCAs. Even in

(05:37):
the case of supportive housing, it can be people that
are coming through and coming out of hospital care. So
it really just depends on a case by case spaces.
But word of mouth is usually always going to be
the biggest way that families find out about us, And
we are not selective, if you will, and who we

(05:58):
choose to serve, So we don't we don't eliminate anyone
from our care. We just make sure that they are
within income guidelines. Obviously, those are the folks that have
the greatest need for our services, and so we censor
on families that are deeply marginalized.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Amazing way ladies are both doing incredible work. So as
far as you know specific ways right. What are some
that the businesses, individuals, volunteers can get involved or contribute
to this year's Hope for the Holidays?

Speaker 3 (06:31):
Great question.

Speaker 5 (06:32):
A large part of the event is made possible by
the donations of businesses, so they can show their support
by either donating food for the event and or goods
and services that may be part of the raffle or
silent auction packages. Direct monetary donations are also welcome and
can be made online through the event website individuals. I

(06:54):
would say the biggest way individuals can do that is
by intending the event. Profits from the tickets go to
the Children's Place Association and the event attendees can also
participate in the silent auction, the graff will as well
as a book drive.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
And making cards for.

Speaker 5 (07:12):
The families that benefit from cpa' services. And another way
individuals can support is by sharing the information about the
event on their social media channels, so we have a
pretty strong Instagram present at w presence at W Girl Chicago.
And then in terms of volunteers, if folks are interested

(07:34):
in volunteering for the event, they can reach out to
us directly.

Speaker 1 (07:39):
Wonderful and what are some unique features or special activities
planned for Hope for the Holidays twenty twenty four that
your attendees can look forward to.

Speaker 5 (07:49):
So I would break it down when we talk about
the event, we say it's golf, sip and snack and support.
So this year's event will be hosted at Big Minipuck
Club in work Our Park and they have an indoor
nine whole golf course, so folks will each get to
participate in around as the mini golf. With the ticket,

(08:11):
they also get to drink tickets with non alcoholic options
also available. And then from snacks, we have lots of
great food coming in from Chicago and Panada, Mama Parlor, Pizzas,
Dan's Donuts and Barbara Attack.

Speaker 1 (08:30):
Area awesome and Saneiya. Before you forget, how can volunteers, individuals,
businesses you get involved contribute to CPA either now throughout
the year.

Speaker 4 (08:42):
That is a wonderful question. We love that question because
volunteers and the people that support our mission are really
the engine that keeps all of it running. So and
it really can look like what makes sense for the
volunteer or for the whether it be a donor or
a potential corporate partner. We have an awesome philanthropy team

(09:04):
that arranges all of that. So it can be folks
coming to visit our early learning center and taking the
tour and really seeing the impact of the work that
we do in that space. It can be volunteers in
the after school program that are taking time to spend
time with our middle school and team population. It can

(09:24):
be Obviously, we love people who give out of the
abundance of their hearts and make financial donations, but we
also really like to engage with people and for people
to really see the impact that their time and their
treasure is having for the people whose lives we are impacting.
So we try to make ourselves nimble enough to try

(09:45):
to bring in as many people as possible into our mission,
because we really believe that as many people as can
tell our story that will just bring more people along.
So throughout the year we have wonderful opportunities to engage
with us. We have newsletters that we share with our
folks on our database that tail about what's happening right

(10:08):
now and our efforts in our programs. We have an
annual gala that takes place in the spring. We have throughout,
like I said, throughout the year, opportunities to just engage
and kind of see what's happening. So the first stop
for that would absolutely be our website. And through our
website www dot Children's with an s place dot org,

(10:31):
anyone and everyone can can connect with our philanthropy team,
learn a bit more about what we do on a
day to day in our programs, and certainly can can
send us a note and really tap into how they
can align their priorities with ours.

Speaker 1 (10:47):
Wonderful, Well, thank you so much, and then Kate, I
do want to ask you as well, Free Hope for
the Holidays twenty twenty four. How has this event grown
over the years? What changes or improvements can we expect
this year? Is to help make the more successful.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
I would say each year the event takes on a
fresh new look, and we've been doing this for eight years.

Speaker 5 (11:11):
It benefits a different nonprofit each year, and we co
create what we want that experience to be. So past
events have included cocktail hours, ugly sweater contests, small gallas,
and so I would say this year builds on the
successes of all of the previous ones, learning what we've
had and the partnership that we've developed with the local

(11:32):
businesses who donate to the event.

Speaker 3 (11:34):
So we're really excited to have a.

Speaker 5 (11:36):
Fresh new venue again with the big mini pet club
and a great robust offering of items available for the silent.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
Auction in the raffle.

Speaker 1 (11:48):
Wonderful. And then where can we go or what's like
the best way to spread the word about Hopeful the
holidays and then obviously to encourage others to donate and
to attend of course.

Speaker 5 (11:57):
Yeah, So we have a event website that really goes
into even more detail than we've been able to cover
here today where folks can learn about that, and the
best way to get to that website is to go
to Wgirls.

Speaker 3 (12:10):
Dot org Backslash Chicago.

Speaker 5 (12:12):
You can also follow us on Instagram at w Girls
Chicago and you'll be able to locate the link to
that event website and our bio as well. So I
would say those are probably the two best avenues, along
with the Children's Place Instagram presence as well, and we'll
be heavily promoting it there.

Speaker 1 (12:34):
Wonderful. Thank you both for being here with me today.
I appreciate it.

Speaker 6 (12:38):
Thank you so much for having us, Thank you, thank you.
And the band is back together.

Speaker 2 (12:44):
Well, we're kind of a We're not really a full band,
we're duo, but I like the musical.

Speaker 6 (12:48):
I like the musical reference.

Speaker 2 (12:50):
Anyways, it's the one and only Whitney Reynolds and Whitney's
Women is on What's Up Whitny.

Speaker 7 (12:55):
We really are a band, and we got to take
it on the road. I'm telling you, every time I
am with you, Brady, I walk away just with a smile,
ear to ear this segment and elevating what women are
doing here in Chicago and also having a man that
helps me host it like you, just makes me so
proud of everything we're doing together, and especially the iHeart

(13:16):
you know, honors this whole give back segment of people
doing great things in our city. I just think I
feel like I should come on more often because there
are just so many wonderful women. And today's guest is
actually a rebeat guest of Whitney Woman, and she's so
great we had to share everything she is doing. We
have Carrie McGhee with the Jackson Chance Foundation. Welcome to

(13:38):
the show.

Speaker 8 (13:40):
Thank you so happy to be here.

Speaker 7 (13:43):
Yeah, I am so happy that you are at this
for another year, and this event is going to make
so much impact. First of all, for people that maybe
didn't catch you on Whitney's Women a few years ago.
Let's talk about the Jackson Chance Foundation and you personally
you founded it because of your personal story.

Speaker 8 (14:05):
Yeah, exactly so.

Speaker 9 (14:07):
Our son, Jackson, Jackson Chance was born at eleven eleven eleven,
at eleven eleven PM, and he was premature, ten weeks premature,
and he spent his entire life in the Neo Native
Intensive Care Unit at Lori Chiltern's and Northwestern Women's Prentice
and he sadly passed away when he was ten months old,

(14:30):
and my husband and I started the foundation in his honor.
And what we the foundation does is we provide parking
to families who had babies in the NICU at the
local hospitals. And when we were in the NICU, we
were shocked at the costs of parking. Became our largest
out of pocket expense and was actually a true obstacles

(14:51):
for families to be there with their babies, you know,
when they need the most, when their their life in
the nick queue.

Speaker 7 (14:58):
Right, so right, you know ten months and I'm sure
because you were seeing the bills roll in. I mean,
it is one of those things that when you're in
the throes of it, like it adds up. How does
the process work to actually the impacts that you're helping
here in Chicago with people's parking being covered.

Speaker 9 (15:18):
Yeah, so, our philosophy at the foundation is that every
baby deserves and needs a parking task, So we don't
have an application program. Every baby who is admitted to
the hospital at Lurie's, Prentice and Rush Children, they're given
a task during the admission process and that path gives
them twenty four to seven access with unlimited in and

(15:40):
out to the parking garage.

Speaker 7 (15:43):
That is so incredible. I got chill bumps whenever I
think about just the impact that you're having, especially in
those most crucial moments, because parents want to be there.
They want to be there, but sometimes things are also
happening at home, so they have to go back and
forth because you can't stay in the nicqueue. So tell
us about the event. That is one of my favorite
fundraisers because you've learned how to combine fun but also

(16:06):
it's going back to really creating so much change for
these parents.

Speaker 8 (16:11):
Thank you.

Speaker 9 (16:12):
Yeah, I can't believe it. But at their tenth annual
Ping Pong Ball, it is our annual and our largest
fundraiser of the year, and you know, Terry and I
started this, you know, after our sun passed, so we
really something a little more lighthearted and spung.

Speaker 8 (16:28):
We need some you know.

Speaker 9 (16:30):
You know, less serious kind of be joy in our life.
So that's why we kind of took a spin on
a traditional gala or buying a table, and you can
buy a ping pong table. So it's a combination of
a fundraiser and a ping pong tournament. We have an
auction and a paddle raise, but there's actual you know,
national tournament food and drinks and it's just you know,

(16:52):
really fun event. It gets a little competitive, but it's
still makes a lot of fun.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
You know.

Speaker 7 (16:58):
When you said competitive, I and one vouch for that
because I will be playing and I in the past
have not been that great. But this year I am
practicing because I'm like, you know, I gotta I gotta
show up and really make my mark. So the ping
pong people can form teams, right, well, we.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
Have this year.

Speaker 9 (17:19):
We have a new kind of twist. We have four
captains kind of think of it like march Manus style.
Do we have represent its from the black Hawks, the Bulls,
the Red Stars and the Bear.

Speaker 8 (17:32):
So Garry A.

Speaker 9 (17:33):
Zoom is going to be there. We'll purdue David Savard
and Sophie Jones and each of them is like a
captain captain for one of the four Braconds, so they
will be like the team lead and will help the
team cheer them on and just you know, at a
little extra level of competitiveness, you know, being there. All
professional athletes to the event and you know, and some fun.

Speaker 7 (17:55):
Yeah, no pressure, no pressure, right, So how do people
get involved with this day?

Speaker 9 (18:01):
We'll get available you can get them from our website
and playing. If you have a ticket, you can play
in the tournament. You just have to register and get
your spot reserve because there are a limited number of spots.
So if you have a ticket, you can you know
on our website at Jackson Chance dot org and then
you can just sign up to actually play in the
tournament when you purchase your ticket.

Speaker 7 (18:22):
I love it. And you also have other local Chicago
staple people that will be there. The list is really
powerful who've gotten behind what you're doing, so it will
really be a night of fun. Like you said, a
unique spin on it all the ping pong ball once again,
tell people where they can get tickets.

Speaker 9 (18:41):
You can go to our website at Jackson Chains dot
org and you can bind tickets there.

Speaker 7 (18:47):
And we will also have it up on our social
Thank you so much Carrie for coming on.

Speaker 8 (18:51):
Thank you Whitney.

Speaker 6 (18:53):
I will pay to see Whitney.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
Reynolds Go one, will produce Chicago b Great, will produce
in Ping Pong.

Speaker 6 (19:00):
This needs to be documented, can you imagine?

Speaker 7 (19:03):
And you know, I am a little competitive, so I've
been practicing. I'm like, I am not going down like
I did the last few years. I got my serve ready.
I mean. But the funny thing is, like I said,
there's so many action packed people from Chicago, that many
familiar faces that it is one of those things that
you kind of have to you're going to be on

(19:23):
the table. Maybe there's another TV host across from you,
and you got to really show up and do it.

Speaker 6 (19:27):
Yeah. I love that. Yes, you are competitive, but and
you know what else you are. You are a busy woman.
You are all over the world.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
You're hanging out with a pro golfers, interviewing celebrities on
the red carpet, and somehow you managed to squeeze your
own TV show time to do that as well.

Speaker 6 (19:42):
The Whitney renld Show tell us about it.

Speaker 7 (19:44):
Yes, oh my goodness. We are in Season A of
The Whitney Reynolds Show, and you're right if people are
following us on our different platforms. It has been a crazy,
crazy two weeks leading up to our season premiere. In
a great way. We are doing more stories than o
where we went to Dallas produced the story there. You're
actually going to see it on our seasons nally. It

(20:05):
is one of those things of there is hope in
every literally every state, every city. There is so much
hope to bring out, and that's what we're doing. You know,
we used to call ourselves a topic based talk show,
and really what I want to say now is we
are like a common tunnel. What we've realized is if
people connect the dots in their story and they take

(20:26):
time to hear someone else's, we are more alike than different,
and that's what you'll see on this season of The
Whitney Reynolds Show. We also hit the nation around the
same time this season, which is huge for us. So
November second, you'll be able to catch us at ten
thirty in the morning, you know, Chicago being our home
base though we play in primetime and we've launched on Monday,
so every Monday six point thirty here in Chicago. You

(20:48):
can go to Whitney Reynolds dot com for more info.

Speaker 1 (20:50):
Hi, it's Paulina here with iHeart Media Chicago for our
Community Fairs show. And today I am chatting with April
soulec Andrews. How are you today?

Speaker 3 (20:58):
I'm fine?

Speaker 8 (20:59):
How are you?

Speaker 1 (21:00):
I'm so good. April is the president and founder of
the Pennies Purpose, and we're going to definitely dive into
that as well as two really awesome upcoming events that
you have going on. So first things first, April, I
would love for you to give us a little bit
of background about the Pennies Purpose.

Speaker 8 (21:16):
Sure, so, I founded the Pennies Purpose back in twenty
nineteen after my mom, Penny. My mom went into hospice
in April twenty nineteen and passed away July twenty ninth
of twenty nineteen. My mom lived a life of giving,
and even when she didn't have a lot to give,
she found a way to give back. And that is

(21:38):
where one of our mission statements comes from, is learned
to give one Blessed with Blass The night my mom
went into hospice, she was given a blanket that provided
her with warmth and comfort during during her time in hospice,
and when she passed away, that blanket came home with
me and has since then provided warmth and comfort only
to me, to my husband, to my boys, and to

(21:59):
ours that we have here. But the night that the
inspiration came for me was on October thirteenth, twenty nineteen.
We had just come back from a memorial walk up
in Milwaukee in honor of a friend who had committed
suicide a few weeks after my mom, and that was
the last blanket that my husband gave me to get
warm because it was up in the lakefront Milwaukee, walking

(22:22):
around Lake Lake Lake, Michigan, and everybody did one pass.
We were in the car and we were home and
I could not get warm enough. And it was in
that moment that I decided I wanted to give everybody blankets.
I wanted to be like Oprah and give everybody blankets
like she gets cars. But then it came to the
realization that place is very expensive, because I wanted to

(22:42):
give eybody fleece blankets. So we came up with the
idea of hosting a blanket drive, and it started off
as a simple blanket drive. We collecked it over like
six hundred and twenty five blankets, which is now coming
into our six years starting in November first, and we've
collected over twelve thousand of new, homemade, generally you blankets
along with new and gently use sleeping bags that have

(23:03):
been donated to local organizations in Illinois and Wisconsin over
the last six years, the last five and a half years.

Speaker 1 (23:11):
Oh, that is so incredible. I love all the work
that you're doing. So you mentioned the blanket making, so
I know you're hosting your fourth annual blanket making party,
So can you give us some info about that.

Speaker 8 (23:22):
So it's a community event that we've we've held every
year since it started, except we had to take a
care off for COVID. So this is going to be
our fourth annual blanket making party and the community can
come in. There's a sign up sheet up on our
website or actually on our Facebook page. The community can
come in, they can bring fleece, they can bring their family,
they can bring their friends. It's just a great way

(23:42):
for the community to get involved. They make blankets that
we'll go to some of our organizations that take to
know slow fleece blankets and also part of our blanket
gifting program that we have food will be provided by
Antiac Pizza Shop and Nothing but bun Cakes will be
providing little bontinis for us. They'll be a open, they'll
be up, there'll be a cash bar for anybody that

(24:04):
wants beverages. But it's just a great way to come
together right before the holidays and give back and and
see where the blankets are going and to learn a
little bit more about the penny's purpose.

Speaker 1 (24:15):
Absolutely, And now is this the same as the Blanket
Drive or are they? Are they kind of separate.

Speaker 8 (24:20):
They're separate. They're separate, So okay, yeah, And so we
we host our annual Blanket Drive. It runs from November
first to December fifteenth, and we click new homemade and
gently used blankets. We asked that the gently use blankets
be laundered and that they be free of rips and tears,
holes and stains, and then we collect new and gently

(24:42):
use sleeping bags. Some of the gently used blankets we'll
go to put rescues that we work with. Some of
the gently used blankets will go to local organizations that
will take them along with the new blankets, along with
the sleeping bags and the gently used sleeping bags. There's
organizations that we work with that will take.

Speaker 6 (24:59):
Them as well.

Speaker 8 (25:01):
The new new blankets, those go to Lake Pads Leake
County Love Inc. Sharing Center. Some of the stuff will
go to ELC and a Kenosha. Some of the pet
rescues we work with. The main pet rescue we work
with is Reach Rescue and we also work with our
term Pet Center here in Antiac. They get some of
the gently used blankets for their dogs that they have

(25:23):
when they're boarding.

Speaker 1 (25:25):
Oh my goodness, that is so incredible. So where can
we go for more information? And for those who you
know want to donate to the blanket drive or if
they want to attend the blanket making party, where can
we go for more information?

Speaker 8 (25:37):
So you can go to our website at www dot
thepenniespurpose dot org and our blanket flyer dry our blanket
flyer for I know. Blanket Drive will be up later
this or your beginning Monday. We're tweaking it a little
bit because we've had a couple other locations reach out
to us. But we'll have boxes in Antiac Raised, Lake Gurney,

(25:59):
Lake fill Lin and her Kenosha, Wisconsin, Pleasant Prairie and Salem, Wisconsin.
So those are some of the places we're having network
and probably be adding another Kenosha location on as well,
and then for our blanket making party. That information is
also on our website. It's also on our Facebook page,
which is the Pennies Purpose NFP on Facebook and Instagram.

Speaker 1 (26:23):
I love that. Thank you so much for being here
with us, April. We really appreciate you. Thank and spreading
all the information that we need for the Pennies Purpose. Again,
that is going to be the annual Blanket Drive if
those who are listening are interested, or the fourth annual
Blanket Making Party as well. So one more time, what
is the website.

Speaker 8 (26:43):
It's www www dot Thepennies Purpose dot org.

Speaker 1 (26:49):
Beautiful. Thank you, April so much for being here with
us today.

Speaker 8 (26:52):
You're welcome. Thank you for having me, thank you for
letting me share our story and our mission.

Speaker 1 (26:55):
Absolutely, thank you so much, and thank you for tuning
into another episode of the week show. We do this
every single week and we always appreciate everyone being a
guest on our show. We love talking to those who
are making differences right here in our city, in our suburbs.
If you know somebody who should be on the show,
please contact me at Paulina at iHeartMedia dot com and

(27:16):
I will try my best to set up an interview
with you to get you on the weekly show. We
post this episode and every other episode up on our
free iHeartRadio app and just search for the Weekly Show.
Thank you so much, Stay safe and we'll see you
again next weekend.