In an office on the first floor of the Kane County Government Center, a woman’s voice can be heard expressing thanks for a holiday donation that will benefit her and her children. Another voice responds, offering sincere gratitude for her service to the country.
The woman is among 30 Kane County Veterans and their families to receive a financial gift through the Kane County Sheriff, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), holiday program.
Since 2015, FOP Lodge #14 has been working with the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission to identify Veterans in need of financial help over the holidays.
This year, the list includes Veterans and their families from Aurora, Elgin, Pingree Grove, Geneva and West Dundee.
The Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission works year-round with Veterans and their dependents, to obtain the VA benefits they’ve earned for their military service.
John Stoffa was with the Kane County Sheriff’s office for 30 years before retiring. He says the FOP has been assisting Veterans, the economically disadvantaged and homeless in the area since the 1960’s. He says until COVID hit, Sheriff’s officials would take people shopping through the ‘Shop with the Sheriff’ program.
Today, the giving spirit continued from behind a desk in the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission offices at the Government Center in Geneva where Stoffa offered a financial helping hand and an expression of gratitude to the Veterans he met.
For more information about the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission, click here.
For information about the FOP Lodge #14 charitable programs, go to https://il-fop-14.org/.
