ROCHELLE — On Thursday, Dec. 12, Community Action Network (CAN) held its annual shopping trip for families in need in the Rochelle community at the First Presbyterian Church.

The event sees children take a trip to Walmart with donated gift cards and volunteer shoppers to help them. It also features free coats and shoes at the venue along with a free meal and toys donated by community organizations. Santa Claus was on hand as well to visit with the kids. 

CAN Board President Michelle Pease said her organization upped the amount for the gift cards this year from $85 to $100 per child so they're able to buy more items they need. The shopping trip helped 225 kids on Dec. 12. Reagan Mass Transit District provided transportation for kids back and forth to Walmart.

“Each year it's a great way to kick off the holiday season and just be grateful to be able to give back,” Pease said. “It's a crazy night. It's exhausting, but it's a good exhaustion. We have some retired teachers that are CAN elves. Without them, we can't put all this on. They collect coats and set up the coats and tables. They set out the cookies and get everyone ready.”

Pease said the need for the Shopping Trip seems to increase each year. CAN saw 293 families sign up to participate this year but only had resources to serve 225. Pease and CAN Board Member Kristin Bigelow said the organization would do all it can to help the rest of those families in any way it can the rest of the year. 

During the rest of the year, CAN works to help the community by donating to schools, nonprofit organizations and local families that encounter disasters. The Shopping Trip is CAN’s largest event each year, followed by a backpack donation it does to kids in need each year. 

“We plan all year for this Shopping Trip event and execute it in one day,” Pease said. “The support we get says a lot about our community. People in this community that have extra are willing to share with those that don't have as much.”

CAN started offering free shoes for attendees at the Shopping Trip in recent years. Along with the winter clothing available, those items free up kids’ spending while shopping so they can fill more of their needs, including possibly an extra toy. 

Pease said she’s seen firsthand the impact that CAN’s programs have. 

“After we started offering coats, there was a day I was driving to work and saw a young boy waiting for the bus,” Pease said. “He had a backpack and a coat, and I recognized them from CAN's programs. I could tell that kid benefited from CAN. That meant a lot to me.”

CAN is currently seeking more adult shoppers to sign up to help kids and be a part of its events in the future. The Shopping Trip has taken place for decades, and longtime shoppers have aged out and numbers have been lower. 

“We're blessed to get the volunteers we have,” Pease said. “Because everybody is spread pretty thin. People only have so much time and money to donate. That continued commitment to CAN each year just speaks volumes about what we have in our community for people who give back.”

Bigelow said seeing kids get what they need makes her feel fulfilled. She believes kids having access to quality shoes and coats helps them with self esteem and fitting in with their peers. CAN wants to give Rochelle’s children the tools they need to feel successful. 

Pease and Bigelow thanked everyone that donated to the 2024 CAN Shopping Trip. 

“It seems like every year more and more people step up,” Bigelow said. “We feel we're getting more recognition in the community and people see that we're helping, even on other days of the year besides this one. I think our community outreach is improving and that gets our name out there more. I think people are recognizing the need and what the organization is doing.”