From The Daily Herald, March 19, 2025

A new program in Elgin hopes to make a difficult situation for children being taken from unsafe home environments a little less traumatic.

The Salvation Army of Elgin, in partnership with Bear Family Restaurants, launched Operation Loving Hope Wednesday.

The program will work in partnership with the Elgin Police Department during situations when children have to be removed from their homes and placed in foster care.

“The Salvation Army’s mission is to serve those who need it most, and children who are facing stressful uncertainty when transitioning from unsafe environments into a new, unfamiliar home are among those who need comfort and love the most,” said Major Roberto Viquez, commanding officer of the Elgin corps.

The new program allows the police to bring the child to the Operation Loving Hope room at the Salvation Army’s Elgin Community Center, where they’re given a suitcase with pajamas, socks, a handmade blanket, a stuffed bear and McDonald’s gift certificates.

They can also choose some things from a room full of toys, books, shoes, coats and other needed items.
David Bear, president of Bear Family Restaurants, said he hoped the program would provide comfort for kids going through such a difficult transition.

“It’s not very often that we hear about programs that offer transformational, meaningful, significant differences in the lives of people during some of the most challenging times,” he said.

Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley said police going into a home can be “very traumatizing” for children and that the department appreciated what the partnership and the program will do for the kids.

“There’s so many things going on that the last thing that we think about, a lot of times, are the details,” she said. “Are they going to have a warm change of clothes … are they going to have things that at least give them a little bit of a sense of comfort?”

Mayor David Kaptain said the program will help kids during what could be “the hardest days of their entire life.”

“This takes some of the most vulnerable people in the entire city at the most vulnerable time and helps them out,” he said.

Bear Family Restaurants is supplying the suitcases, blankets, stuffed bears and gift certificates.

Community members wanting to donate pajamas and socks should contact Salvation Army social services director Maria Padilla at maria.padilla@usc.salvationarmy.org.