OUTREACH AND EVENTS
VOLUNTEER
FEATURED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Monday, May 30
Beverly Park, July 23
In partnership with the Chicago Park District and Chicago Sport and Social, the Road Home Program invites veterans and their families for a day of fun – DJ, activities, bouncy houses, Mission BBQ and a 16-inch softball tournament. Saturday, July 23 at Beverly Park (2640 W. 102nd St., Chicago, IL 60655).
19th Ward Special Event
Thursday, November 17
2022 CALENDAR
November 3
8am – 4:30pm
Illinois Joining Forces Springfield Summit and Veteran Resource FairJoin IJF in partnership with IDVA, Road Home Program and Wounded Warriors Project for a day to connect and collaborate with industry leaders and other veteran service providers. Networking begins with breakfast and keynote address, followed by break-out sessions and round-table discussions throughout the day, lunch by Mission BBQ and an afternoon resource fair open to the SMVF community.
Crowne Plaza Springfield – Convention Center
3000 S Dirksen Parkway, Springfield IL 62703
November 4
12noon start
November 5
8am – 5:30pm
Saluting with Smoke (Mission Zero Hundred Hours / MZHH Festival & Fundraiser)
Come join us for a patriotic Barbecue weekend. Hosted at Raging Waves Waterpark, the festival includes live bands, food trucks, raffles, beer tents, local craft vendors, veteran-owned businesses, kid’s activities, BBQ demos and more.
Money raised will fund “BBQ Saves Lives” a program to raise awareness and end Veteran Suicide through this unique Battle-of-the-Branches, competitive culinary BBQ cook-off.
Raging Waves Waterpark
4000 N Bridge St, Yorkville, IL 60560
November 10
10am – 3pm
Park Forest Veterans Day Festival
The Park Forest Veterans Commission will host a program featuring music, military displays, Huey Helicopter Honor Flight and a salute to honor a host of veterans. The Village of Park Forest was originally built for returning service members following WWII.
Freedom Hall
410 Lakewood Blvd, Park Forest, IL 60466
November 10
6pm
Marine Corps 247th Birthday Celebration
Three hours of cocktails, food, cake, music and more fun than you thought possible. All donations go to SEMPER FE, PROJECT RELO and PB ABATE.
Old Crow Smokehouse in Wrigleyville
3506 N Clark, Chicago, IL 60657
November 11
10am – 11am
College of DuPage Veterans Day Ceremony
Join us for an event celebrating the dedication and support of our large veteran community. Chris Miller of the Road Home Program will be the keynote speaker. Of special note, this is the last day of Artfully Facing Trauma, the veterans mask art exhibition.
Student Services Center Atrium
425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
November 11
6pm
Veterans Day AVER Chicago
Please join us to honor the military service of LGBTQ Veterans and all veterans. This year we return to Ann Sather Restaurant with an open bar and silent auction at 6:30pm, dinner at 7:30pm and a program to follow. Keynote speaker will be Alejandra Hernandez, Marine Corps veteran and outreach coordinator at the Road Home Program. There will be a Zoom program for those who can’t join us. Tickets are $40 per person. For more information, check out our Facebook page. Zoom meeting: http://us02wb.zoom.us/j/81576196428.
Ann Sather Restaurant
909 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
November 12
11am – 2pm
Turkey Drop / Road Home Program Effingham
Come join us for the 2022 Road Home Program Effingham Turkey Drop at the Effingham Event Center. We’ll be passing out frozen turkeys for the holiday complete with side dishes to veterans who are registered and present a valid veteran’s or military ID.
120 meal kits will be distributed via a drive-through pick-up line. Register ASAP to reserve your free turkey meal kit at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/road-home-program-effingham-turkey-drop-2022-registration-428807473697
Effingham Event Center
1501 W Fayette Ave, Effingham, IL 62401
Please follow the cones when you enter the lot. You’ll need your printed or digital ticket along with a valid veteran’s or military ID at time of pick-up.
November 12
6pm
Disabled American Veterans Honors Middle East Veterans at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indians
Veterans, supporters and all who wish to honor our local heroes are invited to attend.
This year’s DAV dinner honors veterans who served in the Middle East including the war in Iraq. Keynote speakers will be former POW Jessica Lynch and William Beiersdorf, Executive Director of the Road Home Program and founder of SALUTE, INC. Following the presentation, Chicago’s premier Dave Mathews tribute band Trippin Billies will take the stage. The concert is sponsored by Wicker Park Memorial Fund and the Victory for Veterans Memorial Ride.
Tickets are $30. Guests must be 21 and over to attend this event. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tribute-to-our-veterans-who-served-in-the-middle-east-tickets-403647088307. For questions about seating, please call Kelly Bridges at 219-313-3934.
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
5400 West 29th Avenue, Gary, IN 46406
November 17
4pm – 7pm
Ninth Annual Turkey Drop Jewel-Osco Chicago
Every year between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, Jewel-Osco, MolsonCoors, Chicago Bears and the Road Home Program partner to give a free Thanksgiving feast complete with turkey and all the fixings to over 600 veteran families. You must register in advance and present a valid ID: https://9th-annual-turkey-drop.eventbrite.com.
Jewel-Osco Parking Lot
1340 S Canal, (Canal Street and 14th Street), Chicago IL 60607
