Earlier this year, Woodridge Mayor Gina Cunningham reached out to Willowbrook Mayor Frank Trilla and myself for our help in rectifying a disaster that still exists today and appears to have no solution. As many of you might remember, on the evening of Father’s Day, June 20, 2021, and EF-3 tornado hit, Naperville, Woodridge, Darien and parts of Burr Ridge. Woodridge was hit especially hard, resulting in devastating impacts across its community. While most of the damage that occurred has been rectified, a Woodridge Condo Community is still seeing the impact of that storm some 35 months later. Twenty-four families are homeless, having to pay their mortgage, their assessments for a home they cannot live in as well as rent for their current temporary home.
When Mayor Cunningham met with Mayor Trilla and myself, she discussed various efforts that have been made to assist these families, and asked for our assistance in alleviating this problem, and to “bring our neighbors home.” Mayor Trilla and I quickly volunteered our support and work in creating a fundraising effort that would raise funds to assist in bringing some relief for these families. We formed a group titled “Mayors Helping Mayors,” and pledged to work with Woodridge’s “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a 501C-3 disaster relief group that had been set up to assist the community immediately following the 2021 tornado.
Due to the efforts of both groups, we planned and implemented a fundraiser that took place on Wednesday, June 26 at Seven Bridges Golf Club. Our turnout was excellent, and while the final figures are not in, we know we have put a dent in the $1M needed to bring these individuals back home. There is still more to do, and Mayors Helping Mayors and Neighbors Helping Neighbors is committed to continue our efforts to further alleviate the costs for these twenty-four families.
Please visit our website by going to www.woodridgenhn.org, and if possible, make a donation to our cause. While our efforts to date are commendable, much work remains, and we need your help, whether you live in Woodridge, Darien or Willowbrook. When you visit our site, please remember, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give…” Thank You!