As you make your plans for the holiday season, be sure to mark your calendars for the Benka Tree Lighting in Cherry Valley on December 6. This annual event is local favorite and on top of it all, they show their support for our kids by taking donations for RHK.

You never know what a day will hold. Last week, RHK was given a very unexpected, very cool opportunity to get out in the community and introduce more people to Rock House Kids.

Each November, our teens head to Williams Tree Farm to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. They cut down the tree and spend some time enjoying the animals and other attractions on the farm. They they bring the tree back to RHK to enjoy a tree-trimming party - kicking off the holiday season for everyone at RHK. RHK Teens visit Williams Tree Farm

Wow! The Try-Beta Club did it again. This morning RHK received a very generous grant for $3500 to help cover the rising costs of fuel for our vans. This is a big help in us being able to offer transportation for some of the kids in our program who would not otherwise have a way to attend our evening program. Try-Beta honored not only RHK, but many other organizations in the the Rockford area who serve the kids in our community. Club members work hard to raise funds throughout

Our "elves" (aka our awesome volunteers) were busy decking the halls this week. Christmas has arrived at RHK!

RHK receives a $5,000 donation from Meijer Store #281. We had some special visitors this week. Our friends from Meijer stopped by with a very generous $5,000 donation. They told us the employees had chosen RHK to receive this gift and that means the world to us! Thank you, Meijer! RHK depends on support from our community to be able to meet the needs of the kids we serve and we are truly grateful. You guys rock!

Taking that first step can change your life...and someone else's.

As we reflect on this year, which has been full of ups and downs, we see the Lord's hand in so many wonderful moments. Amid these ups and downs, this year brought both losses and wins.

This year was all about keeping it real, giving our guests a taste of what the kids experience when they attend our evening programs. Everyone became “Rock House Kids” for the night. Just like on program nights, all who came received a hot meal, were safe, and received a nugget of Jesus - the three marks of a good night at RHK.

Throughout the month of October, we sat down with each of our kids and teens to put together their Christmas wish lists. They tell us three items they want for Christmas (must be under $40). Usually, they ask for something for themselves, but it’s not uncommon for them to ask for something for a family member instead. We then pass on those list to those who ask to sponsor our kids for Christmas. One of the highlights of our year is watching them open their gifts at our annual

Wednesday evenings, if you walk down our classroom hallway during free time, you will find 5-6 kids in the second room on the left working on art projects with Miss Kathy. Every week, she chooses different group of kids, until everyone who wants to has a chance to make that project.

Meet Miss Tiny! She serves Monday and Wednesday evenings, pretty much wherever she is needed. On Mondays, she can usually be found with our little Pebbles (1st & 2nd graders) and most recently, she has been leading the Memory Verse station for our 3rd – 5th graders on Wednesdays. Tiny grew up in Chicago. She has three grown children and one “Glambaby” – her son’s beautiful eight-year-old daughter. She worked as a Switch woman with the Chicago Transit Authority for 24 years. S

This month we are also in need of gift wrapping supplies, as we prepare for our annual Wrapping party on December 13. Any items you can provide will help.

We earned a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency! Keep up with our mission to serve the kids in our community using the link below: https://app.candid.org/.../882.../rock-house-kids-26-2224655.

Wow! RHK was chosen as this year's nonprofit spotlight for the ComEd Power Of Change giving program.

Big thanks going out to Bucciferro Family McDonald's  for providing dinner for our kiddos this past Wednesday night. We had a last minute cancelation and they stepped up in a big way to make sure they received a hot meal. As you can tell by the big smiles, the kids were slightly excited when they found out what was for dinner that night.

Yesterday, our staff closed the RHK office for the day and enjoyed a Team Building day instead.

Lisa Ayala - Teen Small Group Leader and Van Driver