Volunteer

The Honeycomb Project

The Honeycomb Project is a non-profit organization committed to engaging, mobilizing, and inspiring children and their families to build connected communities through hands-on service on a variety of community projects. I have been involved with Honeycomb since 2017 and was selected to serve on the Teen Leadership Corps of the organization since 2022. I have lead a variety of community and environmental service projects including the following:

• Lend a Hand to Lurie Children’s Hospital (2023, 2024, 2025)

• St. Sabina Food Pantry (packing lunches for those with food insecurity (2021, 2022)

• Our Lady of Angels Free Store (2023)

• Holiday Heroes – Lurie Children’s Hospital (2023, 2024, 2025)

• Shower with Dignity (2023, 2024)

• Build Better Classrooms for Chicago Public Schools (2017, 2023)

• Nourish Neighbors (2024)

• Lakeview Food Pantry (2023, 2024)

• Cradles to Crayons (2018, 2022)

• Thaddeus Lechowicz Woods Nature Preserve: Clearing Invasive Species from local forest preserves (2020, 2023, 2024)

• Foster Beach Clean Up (2022)

• 63rd Street Beach Clean Up (2023, 2024

• Greenhouse Shelter Drive (2020)

• Austin Snack Drive/Pack Health meals, St. Sabina’s (2020)

• Honeycomb at Home (2020)

• Growing Home Toy Drive (2020)

• Share our Spare (2019)

The Alex Mandarino Foundation

Alex Mandarino, a family friend, was just five-years-old when he lost his life after a two-year battle with neuroblastoma. The Alex Mandarino Foundation provides critical funding for research related to the prevention, treatment, and ultimate cure of neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers. The foundation also provides financial assistance to families with children battling cancer in Southwest Michigan. Since 2014 I, alongside my family, have supported the foundation by helping sponsor and volunteering at the annual Duck, Duck 5K Run which raises money to support research for childhood cancers.

Nourishing Hope

Nourishing Hope serves residents living throughout Chicago who are experiencing food insecurity. I have helped sort, package and deliver groceries to those in need on the south, west and north sides of Chicago.

Threads for Compassion

My mother learned to crochet from her grandmother and spent countless hours teaching me the craft. I decided to combine my newfound hobby of crocheting with my desire to make an impact in my community, by founding “Threads for Compassion,” a project to help those in need in Chicago by crocheting winter hats and delivering to a number of women’s and children’s shelters, refugee families, church organizations, and those experiencing homelessness. To date, I have donated over 200 hats to those in need in the Chicagoland area. You can see our creations by following me on Instagram @ threads.for.compassion or click here .