• Posted: December 23, 2021
• powering chicago's holidays

 

The holiday season is always brighter with decorations and lights. This year, Powering Chicago committed to supporting local families in need throughout the holiday season. As the presenting sponsor for the 2021 Christmas Tree in Millennium Park, we helped share the holiday spirit with families dealing with domestic abuse through our Powering Chicago’s Holidays Campaign. We know holiday lights can be the bright spot in anyone’s holiday but this can be especially hard when a family is displaced. We partnered with the city’s oldest domestic violence organization, Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC) which provides immediate safety and long-term solutions for women and children in abusive situations.

As part of the campaign, we invited Chicagoans to submit photos of their interior and exterior holiday light displays. In addition, we donated $5,000 to CAWC and encouraged donations to their impactful programs. Their mission is to end domestic violence through a series of self-help initiatives, including access to emergency domestic violence, shelter counseling and advocacy support, legal advocacy services for children, and through public education to various organizations and companies where victims and survivors of domestic violence go for services. 

Since the Powering Chicago’s Holidays campaign kicked off, we’ve received photos from Chicagoans across the city, showcasing their beautiful displays this holiday season. We’ve shared these photos on social media as well as with CAWC, and the women and children they serve are touched by the generosity of our members and supporters throughout the season. The funds raised will allow CAWC to continue its focus on keeping families together and safe.

“This support will go directly to helping us reach more women and children with our wrap-around services that help families stay whole,” said Stephanie Love-Patterson, executive director, CAWC.

The creativity in the light displays truly impressed us and we are grateful to everyone who shared their holiday spirit. Making another’s holidays brighter is the ultimate goal of the season, especially this year. As we head into another winter, we are all challenged by staying healthy and happy. Having a place to sleep is a good start and we thank you for your support.

We wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season!