Commercial News—Project Success Brightens Holidays for Area Children

DANVILLE – For the more than 20 years, Project Success of Vermilion County has been fulfilling the Christmas wishes of a couple hundred area children and teens who are in need.

Now in its 22nd year, Project Success’ Christmas Wish List program continues this holiday season with the goal of providing 261 children and teens with warm clothing as well as toys, hygiene items and stocking stuffers.

The number of children and teens on the Wish List has grown in the last few years because Project Success has received grants to expand its after school enrichment programming to serve more students at additional locations in the county. Project Success is in every school district in the county, except Bismarck and Armstrong-Potomac.

“We serve more than 1,000 children in 18 schools and one community center,” Project Success’ Chief Executive Officer Lucas Seilhymer said.

Project Success Associate Director Kimberly David recalls the Christmas Wish List program started in 1999 with a phone call from the Commercial-News asking what the children in Project Success needed.

“The Commercial-News contacted us and wanted to run a list of Project Success kids who had needs,” she said.

“They asked us if we had kids that needed help,” Program Director Abby Boen added. “I think we had 12 kids that first year.”

The Project Success staff was aware some of the families of the children in the program had basic needs, such as clothing, coats, shoes and hygiene items, so they turned to community members and local businesses for help.

This holiday season community members and local businesses will purchase the bulk of the gifts to be opened by the 261 Project Success children and teens that are in extreme need in Vermilion County and are not being served by any other holiday program in the area.

A child or teen is eligible to be placed on the Wish List if he or she is enrolled in one of Project Success’ after school programs; meets income guidelines; and is not already receiving holiday help from another organization, such as the Salvation Army, United Way or Santas Anonymous in Westville.

“They have to qualify for free or reduced lunch, and we check against other programs to make sure we’re not duplicating families,” David said.

Not only does the Project Success child or teen receive gifts, but also any school-age or younger siblings in the home. Many families have multiple children in Project Success’ programming.

“We provide Christmas for every child in the family, not just the child or teen in the program,” David said.

Children and teens, however, may not be on the Wish List two years in a row so other children may be helped.

“They can’t be on the list the previous year,” David said.

Preparations for the annual Christmas Wish List program already have begun, with referrals being sought for the children and teens with the most need in Project Success’ programs.

“We work with staff and school administrators to identify students with the greatest need,” Seilhymer said.

The Christmas Wish List program wouldn’t be able to help as many children and teens if it weren’t for the generosity of several Danville businesses and their employees and other community members.

Some longtime business supporters include employees at Danville School District 118, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Envirox, Walgreens Accounting, Full-Fill Industries, and AutoZone Distribution Center that select many of the children to help. Some businesses select up to 50 children or shop for several families. So far, more than 60 children have been selected by local businesses.

“Ameren and Souza Financial are new this year and have donated money,” Seilhymer said.

“We have a lot of community members who help, too,” David added.

Each child or teen on the Wish List is assigned a number. The list gives the child’s or teen’s gender but doesn’t provide names or any other confidential information. Clothing and shoe sizes are listed as well as a toy for younger children or another gift item if it is for a teen.

David said many people might be surprised by what the children and teens ask for as gifts.

“We have a lot of kids this year asking us for underwear, socks, blankets, bedding and hygiene items,” David said. “They’re asking for just basic needs.

“A couple of kids are asking for bikes because that’s their transportation to go to the store for their mom,” she added.

A few “hot” items this year that some children are asking for include Pop-Its, LOL Dolls and anything space related.

Children’s coats are especially needed this year.

“We have a few coats left from last year, but we need a lot of coats,” David said.

“No donation is too big or too small,” Boen said. “It takes every bit of the community’s help to pull this off.”

Community members who purchase gift items for a child or teen are asked not to wrap them but to include the child’s assigned number when they are dropped off at Project Success’ headquarters at 917 N. Walnut St. This year’s deadline is 5 p.m. Dec. 8.

David, Boen and other staff members take special care to make sure the gift items are evened out if there is more than one child or teen in a family receiving gifts.

David and Boen try to make sure each child or teen receives a pair of shoes or boots, two warm outfits, a coat, one or two toys, hygiene items and a stocking filled with stocking stuffers.

Then the hours and hours of gift wrapping begins. Eventually, the halls and offices of Project Success’ headquarters will be filled with gifts.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” Mackenzie Woods, site coordinator for Westville Junior High and High Schools, said.

All of the wrapped gifts are placed in 30-gallon trash bags and tagged with the child’s or teen’s name and assigned number. The bags of gifts used to be delivered to each family across the county, but that was discontinued several years ago when the Christmas Wish List started approaching 200 children.

“We call the families when the gifts are ready for pick up,” David said.

“Each will get a stocking filled with hygiene items and small toys,” Seilhymer added.

David said one of the most rewarding aspects of doing the Christmas Wish List every year is seeing all the support it receives from the community.

“The most exciting thing is seeing how much the community wants to help and talking to the community members and making those connections,” she said.

Woods agreed. “That’s what struck me is how many community members wanted to help last year during the pandemic.”

Boen said her favorite part of the Christmas Wish List program is when the gifts are picked up.

“Seeing the families so happy, it makes you realize that you are really making a difference,” she said.

Seilhymer gave all the credit to David, Boen and Woods for making the Christmas Wish List program a success every year.

“The three spend so much of their time doing this every year,” he said. “People don’t realize how much time and organization it takes to make this run flawlessly.”