Patch Picks: 5 Non-For Profits Making a Difference

, or the Retired Senior Volunteer program, is a community based organizations committed to helping those 65 and older maintain a positive quality of life. Fellow senior citizens act as volunteers, providing services to those in need of assistance. RSVP provides free carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, offers transportation and medication assistance, and works with the Salvation Army Golden Diners program in Geneva for meal delivery.

is helping solve hunger throughout 13 Illinois counties, covering over 7,000 square miles. While a large part of their funding comes from grants and donations, they also rely on outside sources such as the Feeding America program and governmental assistance. In 2010 they delivered over 35 million pounds of food to the people of northern Illinois and won the food bank of the year award.

provides social services for men, women, and children, connected to the St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, and rural Kane County, school districts. This community outreach mission offers the only emergency shelter open 365 days a year in Kane County and the only transitional living program in the Tri-Cities area. The Lazarus House outreach program also assists qualified households with rent, mortgage, and utility assistance.

CASA Kane County is an advocacy group providing support for abused and neglected children who have been removed from unstable homes and are entering the  juvenile court system. Over 200 volunteers worked 538 cases in Kane County last year, making sure the best interest of minors was being represented in court and later being attended to at home. Volunteers work cases for an average of two years, providing a sense of stability for the children to rely on.

is an organization focused on providing affordable and quality family and youth counseling services.  This community based outreach program works with individuals and families affected by substance abuse and mental health issues. Tri-Cities offers early intervention, youth counseling, and family behavioral health support to aid in relapse prevention.