Tree of Hope!
As part of our DSC community, you’ve likely heard about Tree of Hope, or attended a past Tree of Hope Kick-Off Event. If not, we’d like to take this opportunity to share more about this special time during the Season of Giving with you.
2020 is the 27th year for Tree of Hope and the campaign is DSC’s most significant and longest running fundraiser. This year’s campaign will kick-off on November 12th at 4:30pm with a tree lighting ceremony. The campaign traditionally begins with a larger, formal gathering but this year the tree lighting will be broadcast on Facebook Live due to COVID restrictions.
Tree of Hope has a rich history in the community. For the 27th year, DSC leadership has selected a Spokesfamily to lead the campaign. As is tradition, the selected family is a recipient of DSC services and volunteers to advocate on behalf of other families with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community. In addition to sharing their story during the campaign, the family also makes a series of media appearances and will be introduced live on Facebook during the Tree of Hope Kick-Off event.
Another well-known feature of the campaign, is the announcement of DSC’s Annual Recognition Award Winners. 2020 is the 34th year of DSC’s Recognition Awards. Each year, DSC awards an individual Personal Achievement Award, Employer of the Year and a Special Recognition Award.
Donations from the Tree of Hope support DSC’s annual budget, allowing the agency to continue providing services to more than 1,100 children and adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities each year. Every gift given between now and January 31, 2021 helps light the Tree of Hope, located on the corner of Prospect Avenue and Marketview Drive in Champaign. The lights represent the services DSC provides. Each time a bulb is lit, it signifies $50 in contributions to the campaign, thus, allowing DSC to provide the resources and services vital to a brighter future for individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities and their families.
We invite you to join us on Facebook Live, which can be found on DSC’s Facebook Page on November 12th at 4:30 p.m. as we celebrate the past 26 years of Tree of Hope with a Tree Lighting! We will introduce you to the 2020 Tree of Hope Spokesfamily and they will unveil our campaign goal. We’ll also honor our sponsors and announce the 34th Annual Recognition Award winners. Please join us and invite your friends and family to tune in!
Join Us for the Tree of Hope Kick-Off Here: https://bit.ly/3jJf41Y Facebook: @DSCChampaign
