Get ready for Random Act of Kindness Week starting on Valentine’s Day and continuing to Feb. 20.
Participating members of the Homewood Business Association will give shoppers free buttons and postcards with the words “Kind is Kind” on them. The back of the Kind is Kind postcards say “Tag! You’re it.” According to Lisa Komorowski, co-owner of Loulou Belle, this is “so they can take the postcard and pass the kindness along.”
The participating businesses are Art 4 Soul, Art Corner Frames, Homewood Florist, Homewood Science Center, Jonathan Kane Salon & Spa, Loulou Belle, Redbird Café, The Villager Gift Shop, Upsa Daisy and Vans Sipma’s.
Komorowski said this is the second year the Homewood Business Association has participated in RAK, but the first year businesses will help raise donations for the Cancer Support Center. Because Valentine’s Day is the same week, Loulou Belle also will be passing out candy, Komorowski said.
Donations raised through the collection canisters will support the Cancer Support Center in downtown Homewood on the corner of Elm and Harwood with another location in Mokena. Everything the center provides is free of charge. This includes wigs, nutrition classes, nutrition consultation, counseling and other mental health services for cancer survivors and their loved ones.
According to Executive Director Sue Armato, the Cancer Support Center relies entirely on donations and fundraising efforts. The organization doesn’t receive any government grants, nor do insurance companies typically cover their services.
“Because of the pandemic, it’s been really difficult to raise funds. A lot of our in-person fundraisers haven’t been able to happen,” said Armato. She said that since March 2020, revenues for the Cancer Support Center have been down 40%.
“But at the same time, the demands for our services have quadrupled,” she added. Armato said the Cancer Support Center has gone from having about 90 to 100 one-on-one counseling sessions every month to having 300 to 400 of them.
Armato said many cancer survivors used to have a bigger support network of friends and family, but because of social distancing, much of this support can be absent, so they’re reaching out to the Cancer Support Center. Many cancer survivors experience stress, anxiety and feelings of isolation.
Armato said a cancer diagnosis coupled with the pandemic is “like a double whammy” where these feelings and mental states are only exacerbated. Additionally, many cancer patients are putting off medical treatment so as not to risk getting COVID-19.
Armato described donors to the Cancer Support Center as “amazing and generous.”