Our Current Impact

How we are supporting vulnerable women and children

January 2022

$500 to Covenant House to stock a van for street outreach to homeless teens
$100 to Fishhook International to support vulnerable women and teens learning the trade of sewing in India
$100 to Read with Me, a program designed by Pet Partners that helps children with dyslexia and other academic challenges who are learning to read by pairing them with a comfort dog
Books to Love Packages (Love Packages ships Christian materials and Bibles all over the world)
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout central Illinois
Dictionaries, Health and Inspirational Books to Books for Women in Prison (Chicago)
Due to covid concerns and restrictions, we are not hiring at this time but look forward to quite a ReStart growth spurt in 2022.

February 2022

$200 to Austin’s Place, C-U at Home Shelter for Women
$250 to International Justice Mission, creating a microloan for a widow and her children
$100 to Cornerstone Fellowship to help with a car for a single mom
$100 to Fishhook International to support vulnerable women and teens learning the trade of sewing in India
$118.23 to Lifesong for an international adoption of an orphan (**This was our final payment through the Adoption Fund.)
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Central Illinois
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books to Austin’s Place and CU at Home’s the Phoenix Center (homeless shelters locally)
Books sent to Books for Women in Prison (Chicago)
Due to covid concerns and restrictions, we are not hiring at this time in ReStart but look forward to quite a growth spurt later in 2022. It is our goal to hire 4 ReStart employees in 2022. We do have some work to do first, though, as our business model has changed in the pandemic and our systems need to be improved to handle the overwhelming growth spurt we’ve had.

March 2022

$200 to the Unsponsored Children’s Fund with Compassion International
$200 to Fishhook International to support vulnerable women and teens learning the trade of sewing in India
$100 to the Daily Soup Kitchen in Champaign, Illinois
$50 Grubhub Dinner Card for a local foster mom and her kids (Illini Christian Ministries)
$60 to the Gem Foundation in Uganda, caring for kids with special needs
$40 to Compassion for Sponsored Kids Birthday Gifts.
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Central Illinois
Kids Books to Mahomet Youth Club
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books to Women in Prison Mission in Chicago. They distribute books to prison libraries throughout Illinois.
We are not hiring at this time in ReStart but look forward to quite a growth spurt later in 2022. It is our goal to hire 4 ReStart employees in 2022. In addition to the women in the ReStart program, we also work with women who are not yet ready for a part time job, connecting them to other supporting organizations. We also stay connected to a few women who need support after leaving ReStart.

April 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India
$250 to International Justice Mission, creating a microloan for a widow and her children
$100 Walmart Gift Card to a mom and her kids leaving an abusive situation
$100 to Doctors Without Borders, serving refugees from Ukraine
$75 to the Gem Foundation, serving special needs kids in Uganda
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Central Illinois
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books to Cactus Texas Ministry Center for children’s library (This mission serves migrant workers and their families from many countries.)
Books to Feeding Our Kids in CU
Books to Women in Prison Mission in Chicago
Large Print Books to CU Nursing and Rehab Home in Savoy, Illinois
We continue to work on infrastructure that will allow us to double ReStart in 2022. We are not going to hire in this program until these changes are made.

May 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (training women to build businesses for themselves)
$300 to purchase six $50 Walmart Gift Cards for single moms in CU through Illini Christian Ministries
$100 to help a local mom and her kids leaving an abusive situation in Champaign County
$100 to Compassion International Survival Program for new moms and babies in Africa
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Central Illinois
Kids Books to Feeding Our Kids
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
We continue to work on infrastructure that will allow us to double ReStart in 2022. We are not going to hire in this program until these changes are made.

June 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India
$200 to Cornerstone Food Pantry in Urbana
$200 to Compassion Unfunded Children’s Program
$50 to purchase Water Bottles to CU at Home serving the Homeless Community
$25 to purchase granola bars/protein bars/packaged snacks for CU at Home serving the Homeless Community
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books to Love Packages (Christian Materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books to Salvation Army Ministries Camp in Minnesota
We have improved enough in our systems to hire two employees in ReStart.

July 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering two moms to create a microbusiness to support their families)
$150 for Walmart Gift Cards for single moms in CU (Illini Christian Ministries)
$100 to cover clothes, diapers and other necessities for a homeless Illinois Mom and her kids living in a local hotel
$100 to Cornerstone Fellowship Food Pantry in Urbana, IL
$50 to the Gem Foundation, serving special needs kids in Uganda
$50 to purchase 30 pairs of new underwear for Austin’s Place, women’s shelter in CU
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books to Love Packages (Christian Materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
Books for Austin’s Place and the Drop-In Center for CU at Home
Kids Books for Illini Christian Ministries in CU
We hired two more women in June. Their hours will grow throughout this month. The three women working here parent 16 children. In addition to a paycheck, we provide assistance from the ReStart Fund and a safe supportive community. Women sometimes bring their children to work in order to complete their shifts. It is a mutually beneficial employment environment.

August 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering moms to create microbusiness to support their families)
$150 for new school backpacks for Chosen and Cherished in Haiti
$100 to Cornerstone Food Pantry in Urbana, IL
$130 to purchase two aftercare packages for two children rescued from Lake Volta in Ghana
$50 to the Gem Foundation in Uganda, serving special needs kids
$60 Annual Bus Pass for a ReStart employee
Kids Books to Street Carnival in Urbana, IL
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books for Love Packages (Christian Materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
Three women working here parent 16 children. In addition to a paycheck, we provide assistance from the ReStart Fund and a safe supportive community. Women sometimes bring their children to work in order to complete their shifts. It is a mutually beneficial employment environment.
ReStart also does as needed follow-up with former employees, whether they successfully finished their program here or not. We provide counseling, prayer support, practical assistance like a bag of groceries or a bus pass so they can look for other employment.

September 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering women to create microbusiness to support their families)
$200 to Cactus Nazarene Center serving immigrants and their families
$100 to Cornerstone Food Pantry in Urbana, IL
$50 to the Gem Foundation in Uganda, serving special needs kids
$60 Annual Bus Pass for a ReStart employee
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books for Love Packages (Christian Materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
Four women working here parent 17 children. In addition to a paycheck, we provide assistance from the ReStart Fund and a safe supportive community. Women sometimes bring their children to work in order to complete their shifts. It is a mutually beneficial employment environment.
ReStart also does as needed follow-up with former employees, whether they successfully finished their program here or not. We provide counseling, prayer support, practical assistance like a bag of groceries or a bus pass so they can look for other employment.

October 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering women create microbusinesses)
$150 to Jubilee Cafe in Urbana (Jubilee serves those in CU dealing with food insecurity)
$100 to Cornerstone Food Pantry in Urbana
$50 to Gem Foundation in Uganda, serving special needs kids
Books for Trunk or Treat in Urbana (sponsored by Cornerstone Fellowship)
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books for Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
Four women working here parent 17 children. In addition to a paycheck, we provide assistance from the ReStart Fund and a safe supportive community. Women sometimes bring their children to work in order to complete their shifts. It is a mutually beneficial employment environment.
ReStart also does as needed follow-up with former employees, whether they successfully finished their program here or not. We provide counseling, prayer support, practical assistance like a bag of groceries or a bus pass so they can look for other employment.

November 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering women create microbusinesses)
$200 to help a family through Immigrant Services in CU pay for a funeral and travel expenses
$100 to Cornerstone Food Pantry
$50 to Gem Foundation in Uganda, serving special needs kids
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books for Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
Books to create a Free Library for Children at Frances Nelson Clinic in Champaign
ReStart celebrated the graduation of an employee who went on to more permanent employment elsewhere. In addition to regular employment, one of our employees shared her story publicly in a church setting for the first time. She feels a special call to help other women in similar circumstances. We also dropped off new kitchen items for our friends at Austin’s Place, the homeless shelter for women in CU.

December 2022

$200 to Fishhook International for sewing machines in India (empowering women who create microbusinesses)
$500 to Restoration Urban Ministries in CU to support their homeless shelter
$100 to Cornerstone Food Pantry
Kids Books to Food Pantries throughout Illinois
Books for Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles shipped all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison throughout Illinois
ReStart continues to bless the lives of women, both those employed here and also serving those who have graduated and those who are not quite ready for employment. We look forward to a great 2023.

January 2021

$750 to Feeding Our Kids to support 10 kids from Stratton School for the semester
$250 for cases of new socks for homeless teens in Chicago (partnering with Cornerstone Church in Urbana)
$75 for new underwear for the Women who stay at Austin’s Place in Champaign
Books to Love Packages (Love Packages ships Christian materials and Bibles all over the world)
Kids Books to Food Pantries locally and in Springfield, Illinois
Kids Books to Early Learning Centers (partnering with CU Foundation)
One ReStart employee working 5 hours per week. (We will expand this program when restrictions from covid lift.)

February 2021

$200 for 10 After-Care Kits for kids coming out of sex trafficking (International Justice Mission)
$150 Microloan for a Widow to Open a Business to support herself and her children (International Justice Mission)
$280 for social services and transition counseling for a widow and her children coming out of slavery (International Justice Mission)
$145 postage and shipping materials to send 200 pounds of kids books to Cactus, Texas/setting up an expanded library for migrant families
Books to Love Packages
Kids Books to Food Pantries and in Partnership with Feeding Our Kids (books distributed with food packs in schools throughout Champaign County)
One ReStart employee working 10 hours per week. (We will expand this program when restrictions from covid lift.)

March 2021

$1,000 to purchase new mattresses for orphans in Haiti at God’s Littlest Angels Ministry
Books to Love Packages
Books to Food Pantries and Feeding Our Kids
Dictionaries sent to Books for Women in Prison (a non profit working out of Chicago)
Shampoo, soap, conditioner and other personal items for Austin’s Place in Champaign
One ReStart employee working 12-14 hours per week. (We will expand this program when restrictions from covid lift.)

April 2021

$385 to purchase more new mattresses in Haiti at God’s Littlest Angels Ministry
$300 for medical care for children coming out of sex trafficking (International Justice Mission)
$250 for tuition for kids at Ludlati Carepoint in Swaziland (Known to Me Ministry & Children’s Hope Chest)
$250 to Overseas ReStart Mission
100 plus children’s books to the Pokot Region in Kenya
Books to Austin’s Place (women’s shelter) in Champaign
Kids Books to Food Pantries and in Partnership with Feeding Our Kids
Bibles and other Christian books to Love Packages
One ReStart employee working 12-14 hours per week. Pay rate increased to $15/hour. (We will begin expanding this program again when restrictions from COVID-19 lift.)

May 2021

$250 to fill the food pantry at Hogar de Esperanza in Peru
$230 to purchase specialized baby formula for the NICU at GLA in Haiti
$225 to support special needs orphans at The Gem Foundation in Uganda
$200 to purchase 10 Aftercare Kits for Children Rescued from Cyber Sex Trafficking (IJM)
$100 BONUS to a ReStart employee for excellent work in managing the store
$16.89 Postage to send dictionaries to Chicago
Books and Bibles to Love Packages
Kids Books to Food Pantries and in Partnership with Feeding Our Kids
Dictionaries, Women’s Health Books and Parenting Helps to Books for Women in Prison in Chicago
One ReStart employee working 15-20 hours per week. We are now beginning to open up to applications to expand ReStart.

June 2021

$500 to Covenant House to support care for LGBTQIA teen runaways and other teenagers in crisis
$228 to cover six months of sponsorship for a young boy in Bangladesh (Compassion International)
$150 to purchase 10 food baskets for widows and orphans (IJM)
$200 to purchase a month’s worth of potatoes for GLA in Haiti
($200 given as a matching gift to double the purchase to two months of potatoes for GLA in Haiti)
$100 Walmart Card for domestic violence survivor
$7.37 for postage to send books to prison
Paperback Dictionaries to Chicago Books to Women in Prison (Without access to the internet in prison, dictionaries are a top request.)
Kids Books to Food Pantries locally
Books to Kids in Partnership with Feeding Our Kids
Books to Love Packages (Bibles and Christian books sent all over the world.)
Over 1,000 kids books donated to CU Schools Foundation for distribution in Urbana
Two ReStart employees. One working 15-20 hours per week. One new hire in training, working 12 hours per week.

July 2021

$1,000 to establish Transition Benefits Fund for ReStart employees. Orphans Treasure Box now offers employer matched transition benefits. Working much like retirement benefits, an employee sets aside a certain portion of their pay and we will match that amount in a transition account. This transition account will also earn interest. Through this combined savings/matching program, the average employee has the opportunity to accrue an additional $500 over 6 months. This money can then be withdrawn to assist them as they move into their own housing.
$250 to the Canteen Run in Champaign-Urbana to help replace supplies lost in a fire
$500 to the Education Fund for Ludlati Carepoint in Swaziland
$350 for generator repairs and diesel fuel for GLA in Haiti
$84 for an annual bus pass for a ReStart employee
$100 Bereavement Pay for a ReStart employee who missed work with a death in the family
$25 to ship dictionaries, women’s health and inspirational books for female prisoners
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles sent all over the world)
2,000 kids books to Cornerstone Fellowship in Urbana to help establish a Free Library for Children
Books to local food pantries in the C-U area
Books to Women in Prison in Chicago
Two ReStart employees. One working 18-20 hours per week. One working 16 hours per week.

August 2021

$250 to sponsor two new moms and their babies through World Vision
$250 to support Afghan women and children through Women for Women International
$154 to purchase menstruation supplies for 14 teenage girls in Kenya through Days Girl International
$100 gift card for school supplies for a child living with his mom at Restoration Urban Ministries in Champaign
$25 to ship items to Books for Women in Prison
600 books to Kingdom Prep School in Milwaukee, WI (an inner city mission school for at risk youth)
Kids Books to Food Pantries in Champaign-Urbana
Books to Love Packages (sending Bibles and other religious materials all over the world)
Books for Women in Prison (Chicago non-profit)
Two ReStart employees. Both working between 16-20 hours per week as Assistant Managers for the online bookstore.

September 2021

$5,000 worth of children’s books, educational books, games, shelving and Under the Sea decorations to the Salvation Army to establish a giving library at a camp in northern Minnesota. This camp serves many children from the inner city, where books are not readily available or affordable. The Salvation Army will also use the educational helps for homework assistance through a variety of their clubs and ministries. (The Kids Room at the former Orphans Treasure Box outlet was very popular. We are sad to see that chapter of our story come to an end but are happy that kids who really need the books can benefit. This change also represents real growth for us as our online store has expanded and thrived through the pandemic. We will now use this space to expand our sorting and listing systems.)
$250 to Feeding Our Kids to support kids in Urbana for the semester
$25 Postage to ship Dictionaries to Women’s Prison Ministry
Bibles and other inspirational books to Phoenix Drop In Center in C-U
Books to Love Packages (shipping Bibles and other materials all over the world)
Kids Books to Food Pantries locally
Dictionaries to Women’s Prisons in Illinois
Kids Books to Uniplace Church for Vendor Fair at C-U Pridefest
Two ReStart employees working part time at the bookstore, approximately 20 hours per week.

October 2021

$250 to Chosen and Cherished Ministries in Haiti (to help with utilities)
$400 to cover ReStart employee’s health benefits
$150 to purchase textbooks for vulnerable children through Compassion International
$175 to load a van of supplies for homeless teens (Covenant House in Chicago)
$100 to support orphans with special needs in Uganda (The Gem Foundation)
$45 to purchase 26 new pairs of underwear for the women at Austin’s Place in Champaign (homeless shelter)
$35 to cover postage to send 100 pounds of Kids Books to Cactus Ministry Center in Cactus, Texas (ministry reaches out to immigrant workers on border)
$21 to cover postage to ship 29 pounds of kids books to Springfield, Illinois
$15 to cover postage to send books to Chicago Books for Prisons
22 pounds of books to women’s prisons
500 books to Cactus Ministry Center in Cactus, Texas
29 pounds of Kids Books to Springfield Illinois Food Pantry & Giving Library (Harvard Park Baptist Church)
Kids Books to Food Pantries Locally
200 Kids Books to Trunk or Treat at Cornerstone Fellowship in Urbana, IL
Devotionals and mass market novels to Austin’s Place in Champaign (homeless shelter)
Bibles and Christian Materials to Love Packages (shipped all over the world)
1,100 Kids Books donated to Feeding Our Kids to distribute throughout Champaign County
Two ReStart employees, each working approximately 20 hours per week.

November 2021

$200 to provide medical care for a victim of sexual abuse (International Justice Mission)
$200 to purchase meat for Chosen and Cherished in Haiti
$150 to give a microloan to a widow and her children to begin a sustainable business (International Justice Mission)
$150 to gift cards for domestic abuse survivors and their families (Courage Connection)
$150 to fill the pantry at Hogar de Esperanza in Peru
$50 Grubhub Gift Card for a local single foster mom (Illini Christian Ministries)
$50 to purchase new socks to be given locally through Jubilee Cafe in Urbana
1,000 Kids Books to C-U Public Health for distribution through their clinics and services
Kids Books to Food Pantries locally
Books to Love Packages (Christian materials and Bibles all over the world)
Two ReStart employees, both getting ready to graduate from the program. One will remain as Assistant Director here. Another is looking at job possibilities and what will be the next best fit for her.

December 2021

$228 to cover six months of sponsorship for a young boy in Bangladesh (Compassion International)
$250 post-adoption grant to a local Champaign family to help cover in-treatment care for a teenager dealing with childhood trauma
$250 to the Grocery Fund for Chosen and Cherished in Haiti
$200 for Walmart Gift Card and Target Gift Card for women leaving abusive relationships
$50 Walmart Gift Card to a Single Deaf Mom with 5 Kids (Partnering with a local church to help with Christmas.)
$25 Christmas Gift to young boy in Bangladesh (Compassion International)
$200 to Christmas bonuses for ReStart employees.
$20 to ship books to Women in Prison in Chicago
Dictionaries and other books to prison ministry in Chicago
Books to Love Packages (Christian Materials and Bibles given all over the world.)
Bibles and Kids Books to Relief Teams in Kentucky following the devastating tornadoes
Kids Books to Food Pantries locally and in Springfield, Illinois
Two ReStart employees employed. One moving into the Assistant Director position here at the bookstore, the other moving into a staff position at an area recovery home.