Every year, the after-school program By The Hand Club ensures that the more than 2,000 kids it serves across Chicago get a Christmas gift.
This year was no different.
On Saturday, State Representative La Shawn Ford and other volunteers visited the By The Hand Club in Austin to help pass out gifts. Then, they went next door to Austin Harvest, a youth-led produce store that came out of Austin’s By The Hand Club, to help dozens of families load free Christmas trees into cars.
For the 60 or so CPS students who attend Austin’s By The Hand Club, this event kicks off the holiday season.
Shauntay Rowe, an Austin resident and mother of five, has attended this local celebration for a long time.
“Over the years, we’ve received so many blessings from By The Hand’s Christmas party,” Rowe said in a statement. “The kids have come home with everything from Nerf blasters to necessities like coats and shoes. But, above all, it’s the sense of community that keeps us coming back year after year.”
Last week, By The Hand Club representatives picked up more than 45 pine trees from Navy Pier, which were funded through donations and shipped by the United States Coast Guard.
In addition to helping pass out these trees, Austin Harvest participants opened up their market for visitors to buy fresh produce and flowers ahead of the holiday season.