Outreach Updates & Stories
Therapy Dog Visits York Summer Program
York Community Resource Center welcomed Aimee Maas, Outreach Community Counseling Center (OCCC) animal assisted therapist, and her therapy dog, Paddington, to its summer youth program on July 8.
Learn 2 Earn Visits Adler Planetarium
The Learn 2 Earn middle school summer program recently took a field trip to Adler Planetarium in Chicago and enjoyed time seeing downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan.
WYFS Quest Joins Fire Department in Parade
The WYFS Quest youth program walked with the Warrenville Fire Protection District in Warrenville's annual Independence Day parade as part of the Hot Shots program, an ongoing partnership between the fire department and WYFS.
Learn 2 Earn Summer Program
The OCC Learn 2 Earn middle school summer program schedule includes service learning, team building, STEM, money management/job readiness, art, and special trips to the DuPage County Courthouse and Carol Stream Police Department.
Youth Group Visits Older Adults
Participants in OCC's Older Adults Program received a special treat this June! Middle school students from First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton visited older adults living at Colony Park for “Coffee and Conversation.”
Making Mother’s Day Special at Jubilee Village
A local woman who's walked the road of single motherhood decided to bless Jubilee Village mothers with gift baskets this Mother's Day.
OCC Pen Pals
Thanks to a pen pal exchange at Outreach Community Center in Carol Stream, young and old have been benefitting from a multigenerational friendship! The pairs met face-to-face this May.
Puente la Mama
Puente del Pueblo's 9th annual Mother’s Day event reached out to mothers in the community, attributing special value to moms who are heavy burdened and new to Puente.
CareFest 2019
Wheaton Bible Church and Iglesia del Pueblo recently served Outreach at CareFest, a one-day annual event where church volunteers reach out to the community through service projects.
2019 OCC Spring Dinner
The 2019 Spring Dinner benefitting the Outreach Community Center in Carol Stream was held on April 11 at Embassy Suites Naperville. The event featured keynote speaker Ray McElroy, a former Chicago Bear and former Bears team chaplain.
WYFS Quest Helps Animal Shelters
Students from the Warrenville Youth & Family Services Quest program finished making homemade dog chew toys for donation to local animal shelters to wrap up this month’s service learning project.
Spring Break College Tour 2019
High school students from the Outreach Community Center in Carol Stream and Puente del Pueblo recently embarked on their spring break college tour. This year the group visited Ohio State University, Marshall University, Wingate University, Duke University, and Howard University.
Spring Break Fun at Villagebrook
OCC-Villagebrook kicked off spring break with some friendly competition, community fellowship, and fun with a pasta sauce cookoff.
Leaving a Legacy: WYO Director Gail Hoffman Retires
As Gail Hoffman retires from Wheaton Youth Outreach, she reflects on her 21 years at the organization, the growth and change the programs have experienced, special memories, and her plans for the future.
Giving from the Heart
Longtime Outreach supporters Hal and Jennifer Merck share their heart for Kingdom giving, why they chose Outreach, and how they maximize their gifts.
Local Scout Serves Jubilee Village
Thank you to Vince Cascio, a young man working on his final badge towards becoming an Eagle Scout, for serving Jubilee Village! For his project, Vince chose to bless Jubilee Village with two benches for the outdoor patio.
MLK Day Celebration 2019
The 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration took place on Monday, January 21. This year’s theme was “Beloved Community: Becoming the Dream” and featured speaker was Dr. Sheila Caldwell, chief intercultural engagement officer at Wheaton College.
Spreading Christmas Cheer at York
York Community Resource Center held a Christmas event on December 8 that included tree decorating, Christmas crafts and gift wrapping.
Christmas Store 2018
The annual Christmas Store, which allows qualifying families to select gifts and purchase them at an affordable price, was a great success thanks to volunteers and those who donated!
Knights of Columbus Donate Coats to OCC
Thank you to the Roselle Knights of Columbus and Caputo's Fresh Market stores for donating coats to OCC! A total of 267 coats in kids' sizes from XS to XL were donated.
Making Christmas Special
Thank you to the St. Irene's Council of Catholic Women for making Christmas special for students in the WYFS Link mentoring program!
Preparing for Christmas at OCC-Villagebrook
Almost 30 adults and children came out to the OCC-Villagebrook classroom on December 7 to make ornaments for the community holiday tree in the Villagebrook office.
Quest Serves the Homeless
Warrenville Youth & Family Services (WYFS) Quest students decided to help the homeless by making homemade signs and putting donation boxes around the community.
Giving Thanks at York Community Resource Center
A Thanksgiving potluck cultivates gratitude and builds community at York Community Resource Center.
Puente del Pueblo Celebrates 10 Years
Since Puente del Pueblo's inception 10 years ago, it's transformed the West Chicago community. Find out more about this partnership between Outreach and Wheaton Bible Church, how Puente del Pueblo has grown, and how it's made a difference in the lives of individuals, families and the community.
2018 WYFS Fall Dinner
Check out video and photos from the 2018 Warrenville Youth & Family Services Fall Dinner!
Dressing for Success
The Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties (JLKD) recently offered a fun, educational training session on seeking employment to Jubilee Village (JV) residents, the latest in their ongoing support of JV.
Getting to Know CACTC
The Chicago Area Christian Training Consortium (CACTC) is a partnership between Outreach and other like-minded organizations to train future psychologists. Find out more about the consortium and Outreach's role within it.
Therapy Dog Returns to Quest
Gunnar the therapy dog recently returned to the Warrenville Youth & Family Services (WYFS) Quest program to celebrate the fact that he passed his first certified therapy dog test.
2018 Hearts of Grace Women’s Luncheon
Check out videos and photos from the 2018 Hearts of Grace Women's Luncheon, including the message from featured speaker Carol Kent.
Annual Outreach Events
2018 Hearts of Grace Women’s Luncheon
Check out videos and photos from the 2018 Hearts of Grace Women's Luncheon, including the message from featured speaker Carol Kent.
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2018
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Celebration featured an inspiring message from Moody Bible Institute Radio Host Roy Patterson, a performance by OCC's children's choir, update on OCC's College Opportunity Program and more.
Christmas Breakfasts
Christmas Breakfasts, held over a series of Saturdays in December, are open to Outreach's Partners and Leadership Partners. Hear ministry highlights and inspiring ministry plans from CEO Chris Ellerman.
Warrenville Youth & Family Services Fall Dinner
The annual Fall Dinner supports Warrenville Youth & Family Services.
Christmas Store
The Christmas Store is a special one-day event held each December. Qualifying families can affordably shop for Christmas gifts for their children - at a savings of 75% off retail price.