1 Market Square Court Lake Forest, IL 60045

0761-8523-398

Get Involved

Getting Involved With Fill a Heart 4 Kids

At Fill a Heart 4 Kids, we partner with teachers, social workers, principals, and vetted social service organizations in an effort to reach the most vulnerable children. Our efforts restore the dignity to these children and reduce shaming from their peers and provide needed school supplies to increase their academic attendance. 

4 Kids Brighter Futures ProgramTM provides tutoring, educational experiences, field trips, needed supplies, life skills education, job skills training, and cultural experiences to promote academic success and inspire hope for children who have faced unimaginable obstacles.

4 Brighter Futures Work ProgramTM equips foster teens with practical work and financial management skills. One facet of this program offers hands-on work experience within our organization.

4 Kids Special EventTM offers volunteer opportunities for our VIP volunteers to attend movies, go on field trips, observe holiday celebrations, and celebrate birthdays and other special occasions.

Brighter Futures Foster Facilities Renovation ProgramTM provides funds to renovate group homes in an effort to create safer, healthier, and happier living environments for the children living there.

With our vast network of volunteers, we maximize donations and other contributions to get the most out of our efforts, reduce our overhead costs, and get the most out of our donor’s contributions. We sponsor over 2,400 at-risk youth and host over 400 volunteer experiences for individuals, groups, corporations, and team-building experiences to leverage resources and services to create the best outcomes for children in desperate need.

Year Round Programs Toiletries 4 DignityTM

Children who lack toiletries are often degraded and feel unclean, but these $15-$20 care packages help them feel healthier and clean while reducing bullying and increasing school attendance.

Let’s Party 4 A Purpose

Local children’s homes are unable to properly celebrate all their children’s birthday, but this program helps with the party, the cake, and the gifts to help these kids feel loved and remembered!

4 Kids Care Packages

Filled with gifts and other special items, these are perfect for children to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions when they normally receive nothing.

Weekend Meal Packages

Kids who rely on school meal programs for the only consistent food they may receive stress about where their next meal comes during weekends and school breaks. For a $10-$25 food gift card, you can help out children who need it the most!

Seasonal Programs

Spring

Project Valentine 4 KidsTM​

Partnering with schools, groups, & corporations to help children feel loved & remembered by sponsoring a $15-$20 gift bag filled with treats and gifts. Along with friendship bracelets and loving notes, we go to foster facilities and decorate them for a party to help kids feel loved and remembered on what can be a very difficult day for them. Our sponsored homeless children will also receive a $10 McDonalds Gift Card along with their gift bag. Sign up between 1/15 through 2/12.

Happy Cheesy Sock Day

Give children in need a pair of cozy socks and foot lotion to help them feel loved and remembered. Sign up 2/1 through 3/30.

Spring Break in a Box

The breaks from school for homeless children create stressful situations where they are unsure where their next meal will come from. For $40, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 2/1 through 3/15.

Project Hop 4 KidsTM

Sponsor a Fill a BasketTM to help children during this painful time of year and help them feel loved and remembered. Along with our $15-$25 Hop Baskets, we decorate foster facilities, host egg hunts, and offer Easter Brunch for these kids. Sign up between 3/1 through 4/15.

Project Valentine 4 KidsTM​

Partnering with schools, groups, & corporations to help children feel loved & remembered by sponsoring a $15-$20 gift bag filled with treats and gifts. Along with friendship bracelets and loving notes, we go to foster facilities and decorate them for a party to help kids feel loved and remembered on what can be a very difficult day for them. Our sponsored homeless children will also receive a $10 McDonalds Gift Card along with their gift bag. Sign up between 1/15 through 2/12.

Happy Cheesy Sock Day

Give children in need a pair of cozy socks and foot lotion before the weather turns colder and colder along with other items to help them feel loved and remembered as the days grow shorter before the winter months. Sign up 10/1 through 11/30.

Project Hop 4 KidsTM

Sponsor a Fill a BasketTM to help children during this painful time of year and help them feel loved and remembered. Along with our $15-$25 Hop Baskets, we decorate foster facilities, host egg hunts, and offer Easter Brunch for these kids. Sign up between 3/1 through 4/15

Spring Break in a Box

The breaks from school for homeless children create stressful situations where they are unsure where their next meal will come from. For $40, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 2/1 through 3/15.

Summer

Project Flip FlopTM

The summer months are difficult for foster & homeless children, but your caring donations can help brighten their spirits as well as celebrate both graduations and other end of the school year celebrations! You can sponsor a $20-$50 graduation gift with a $50 gift including a graduation celebration. The summer months can be a scary time for children without a home or shelter, but these gifts help these kids get through these tough periods. Sign up between 5/1 through 6/1.

Project HydrateTM

The summer heat causes headaches for children who go without water for extended periods of time, but our Project Hydrate care packages keep kids safer and hydrated. For $10, our care packages help homeless kids stay hydrated and stay healthier and be able to better focus in school. Sign up between 5/1 through 6/30.

Project Lemonade

Sign up to sell lemonade in your neighborhood to help children in need of critical supplies with 100% of the proceeds going towards school supplies for foster and homeless children! Make a Fill a Heart 4 Kids sign and share with your neighbors and on social media so children without families can be better prepared on their first day of school. Sign up 5/30 through 8/30.

Project Flip FlopTM

The summer months are difficult for foster & homeless children, but your caring donations can help brighten their spirits as well as celebrate both graduations and other end of the school year celebrations! You can sponsor a $20-$50 graduation gift with a $50 gift including a graduation celebration. The summer months can be a scary time for children without a home or shelter, but these gifts help these kids get through these tough periods. Sign up between 5/1 through 6/1.

Project HydrateTM

The summer heat causes headaches for children who go without water for extended periods of time, but our Project Hydrate care packages keep kids safer and hydrated. For $10, our care packages help homeless kids stay hydrated and stay healthier and be able to better focus in school. Sign up between 5/1 through 6/30.

Project Lemonade

Sign up to sell lemonade in your neighborhood to help children in need of critical supplies with 100% of the proceeds going towards school supplies for foster and homeless children! Make a Fill a Heart 4 Kids sign and share with your neighbors and on social media so children without families can be better prepared on their first day of school. Sign up 5/30 through 8/30.

Autumn

Project Smart 4 Brighter FuturesTM

Foster children & homeless children need school supplies to ensure they are prepared for their first day of school and are ready to learn. By sponsoring a $25-$55 backpack, you are giving a student the things they need to learn and are provided the opportunity to write the child an encouraging note. Sign up 7/1 through 8/30.

Project BooTM

Partnering with schools, groups, & corporations to help children celebrate the Halloween season with $7 Boo Bags or $25-$50 costumes. Homeless and foster children are left out of holiday celebrations and Halloween is no exception. Your gift to them gives them the opportunities to celebrate like other kids get to and be included in all the holiday fun! Sign up 9/1 through 10/25.

Project Warm 4 KidsTM

Keeping unhoused & at-risk children warm and healthy during the cold weather months when they lack the basic necessities. Homeless kids need coats, hats, gloves, and blankets to help them make it through the severe winter. With your $15 donation, we provide a hat and a pair of gloves for a child in need. $35 donations provide a coat and a $25 Sherpa blanket donation will help keep these children warm at night. Sign up 9/15 through 1/15.

Project Smart 4 Brighter FuturesTM

Foster children & homeless children need school supplies to ensure they are prepared for their first day of school and are ready to learn. By sponsoring a $25-$55 backpack, you are giving a student the things they need to learn and are provided the opportunity to write the child an encouraging note. Sign up 7/1 through 8/30. 

Project BooTM

Partnering with schools, groups, & corporations to help children celebrate the Halloween season with $7 Boo Bags or $25-$50 costumes. Homeless and foster children are left out of holiday celebrations and Halloween is no exception. Your gift to them gives them the opportunities to celebrate like other kids get to and be included in all the holiday fun! Sign up 9/1 through 10/25. 

Project Warm 4 KidsTM

Keeping unhoused & at-risk children warm and healthy during the cold weather months when they lack the basic necessities. Homeless kids need coats, hats, gloves, and blankets to help them make it through the severe winter. With your $15 donation, we provide a hat and a pair of gloves for a child in need. $35 donations provide a coat and a $25 Sherpa blanket donation will help keep these children warm at night. Sign up 9/15 through 1/15. 

Winter

Project CocoaTM

Sponsor cocoa packets, single serving meals, and a glow in the dark thermos to lift the spirits of homeless children during the cold winter months. Sign up 10/1 through 1/15.

Thanksgiving in a Box

Thanksgiving break for homeless children create stressful situations where they are unsure where their next meal will come from, but this helps them with this difficult time. For $40, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 10/1 through 11/15.

Holiday in a Box

Winter break is a difficult for homeless children who rely on school meals and the cold winter break can make these weeks more painful for them. For $50, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 11/1 through 12/15.

Project CocoaTM

Sponsor cocoa packets, single serving meals, and a glow in the dark thermos to lift the spirits of homeless children during the cold winter months. Sign up 10/1 through 1/15.

Thanksgiving in a Box

Thanksgiving break for homeless children create stressful situations where they are unsure where their next meal will come from, but this helps them with this difficult time. For $40, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 10/1 through 11/15.

Holiday in a Box

Winter break is a difficult for homeless children who rely on school meals and the cold winter break can make these weeks more painful for them. For $50, the gift box has 30 meals, 10 snacks, and fresh fruit, helping kids stay focused, fed, and less stressed. Sign up 11/1 through 12/15.

Spread Hope

Your Support Can Lift Spirits and Restore Hope

Your donation will directly support our programs and initiatives, creating real and lasting impact where it’s needed most.