By Lori Bultemeier
The Baby Fold
BLOOMINGTON -- The Baby Fold’s Festival of Trees was truly “A Gift of Love” from our donors who chose to partner with us in our mission to help children and families heal, connect, and grow.
The 23rd annual Christmas fundraiser helps The Baby Fold to deliver exceptional, quality programs and services to families all over Illinois. It was the perfect way to welcome the holiday season with over 100 beautifully decorated Christmas trees, dozens of wreaths and centerpieces, music, food, and family fun.
The agency even had church among the trees with Hope United Methodist Church leading worship. Jessica McLane, Festival Coordinator at The Baby Fold is very pleased with the event. “We had two sell out events- Sneak Peek Event on opening night, and Breakfast with Santa. Attendance numbers were up- nearly 10,000 people came to support The Baby Fold. We are so grateful for the support of our hundreds of volunteers. We really feel like we received an incredible gift of love from all who came to The Baby Fold’s Festival of Trees.”
Aimee Beam, Vice President of Development and Public Relations went on to say, “The purpose of this special event is to provide the community with a family-friendly Christmas weekend, but also to share our mission. The Baby Fold provides people and programs to families who are struggling to weather the storms of life that affect us all. We integrate our expert staff into schools, homes and communities across the state, helping families to connect with each other in healthy ways. The support of our donors and friends is vital during this time of innovation and transformation. We are very encouraged by our successes and the ways that the church and community have stepped up to help us further our mission to support and connect children and families.”