Art auction helps local homeless

Jordan Debbink, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator for the Pioneer Center, stated the hard truth: “Funding for helping the homeless and hungry isn’t getting any better. We had an idea and desire to connect with the fine arts community that live in our county. This idea evolved into our art auction with pieces of art from the community.”

The Pioneer Center for Human Services is a 501(c)3, a non-profit charitable organization that provides direct services to thousands of people each year.

Debbink explained, “For this event, Pioneer Center’s First Empty Bowls Art Auction, 16 local artists have created works that depict hunger and homelessness. We have 19 pieces.”

Debbink displays a piece of art painted for the auction. (Photo by Christine Such/Sun Day)

Many of the artists have had first-hand experiences that influenced their works.

“Jeanine Hill-Soldner, one of our artists, is internationally known,” said Debbink. “The painting ‘Borrowed Mattress’ by Patricia Robinson Stolarksi has an industrial feel – a texture to the painting.”

Debbink points to a painting that speaks to an observer of the loneliness and needs of the homeless.

Regarding Rachel Dawley’s colorful painting, Debbink explains, “The colors represent the opportunities the world has to offer.”

Empty Bowls isn’t only about raising funds; it is also about awareness. It is their hope that the art pieces sold will strike a conversation that will lead to action.

Recently, Representative Hultgren’s said of the center, “I rise today to thank and congratulate the Pioneer Center for Human Services for 60 years of serving the people of McHenry County. The Pioneer Center was founded in 1958 out of a mother’s desire to provide greater opportunities for her daughter with Down syndrome. Since then, it has provided services for members of the community facing developmental disabilities, homelessness and behavioral health issues.”

Amy Hernon, Director of Development said, “Homelessness is something that we have become invested in. We have merged with the McHenry Pads to help provide the range of human services that is needed.”

The merger of these two organizations was the very first of its kind in McHenry County. McHenry County PADS offers emergency and a transitional housing coupled with support services in order to help individuals experiencing homelessness work toward becoming self-sufficient.

“These Artists,” Hernon said, “are phenomenal. Their works of art tell great stories. One of our artists for the event was crowned Little Miss Woodstock. This painting represents the homeless man that used to sleep on the square on a bench. And then one day – he wasn’t there.”

Hanna Kaufmann, Little Miss Woodstock wrote, “On the bench I wrote, ‘In memory of Tom S.’ Tom was a homeless man seen around Woodstock a lot. He died last month. I wanted to show that we remember him, as we recognize and try to help the homeless in the area.”

The event has ended, but the opportunity to help has not. Donations can still be made at any time by contacting Debbink at 815-759-7129.

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