Thank you. I use those two words often, but they never quite seem to be enough.

As I think back on last week’s Shine Your Light Gala, I am filled with so much gratitude that it’s hard to properly express it in words.

It’s been five years since we first held our Gala, and yet I am still humbled by the number of people who show up to support HSS. On June 10, 2022, we had a record 302 guests!

When I think back to 2018 and remember how unsure we felt, wondering how this community would respond to our first ever fundraiser of this kind – I am in awe.  Because not only have you responded year after year, but you have done so with an unprecedented generosity.

This year, you helped us exceed our goal of raising more than $100,000 for the programs and services of HSS! During our Fund a Need, you generously donated more than $32,000 toward the purchase of two mini-vans that we will use to transport our clients.

Whether you made a donation, attended the Gala or purchased a live or silent auction item, YOU helped us reach those goals and work toward our mission of helping all people live their best lives. For this, I thank you.

While we celebrate the fundraising success of the evening, I must also give thanks to those behind the scenes. The months and days leading up to an event like this are filled with hours upon hours of hard work. It is in those days and hours that I once again recognize the true heart of the people who make HSS a success every single day.

Many members of our staff sent letters, made phone calls and collected donations to help make the Gala possible. All of this was done in addition to their already full workloads.

I heard so many positive comments in the room that evening about the auction items we received, the delicious food, and the gorgeous table displays. And a truly beautiful evening it was. None of that would have been possible without the dedication of our HSS family.

From the beginning, we’ve had the support and commitment of our HSS Board of Directors and the Gala Council. These two groups took time from their own busy schedules to attend meetings, seek donations and help guide us through another successful event.

We were extremely fortunate to have Chris Lane, a former HSS client and Monroe County native, share his personal recovery story about his battles with addiction. His words resonated with many in the room. Thank you Chris.

These words of thanks don’t just come from me – they come from all of the clients and staff who make up the HSS family. Your support of the Gala and HSS means you believe in them – in their work, their lives and their futures.

Our next Shine Your Light Gala will be held on June 9, 2023.  Hope to see you all there again.

Anne Riley

HSS President and CEO

View 2022 Gala Photos

On Friday, at the second annual Shine Your Light Gala, we asked you to let your light shine bright.

And boy, did you deliver.

As we continue to tabulate the final results of the donations collected through our auctions and raffles, and reminisce on the hours of special conversation and support for our diverse programming here at HSS, I can say without a doubt that this evening truly was one to remember.

There was laughter, engaged bidding and a delectable dinner. It was a chance to mingle and have fun, in the lovely setting provided by The Falls Reception and Conference Center.

But, most importantly, it was a reminder of the very special community that surrounds us, and the incredibly important work that we take on each and every day. It was our time to celebrate and to look forward.

And it wouldn’t have been possible without all of you.

In fact, while our call to” shine bright” came on the night of the gala, you had already begun leading us down a bright path toward another successful year.

The evening would not have been possible without months and months of hard work by our HSS Board of Directors and the Gala Council. These people took time from busy work schedules and families to attend meetings, collect donations and coordinate all of the small details that helped make the event so special.

And we wouldn’t have anything to celebrate if it wasn’t for our larger HSS family.

Every day, our staff and clients are brightening the world around them, giving back to the community and making the future better for us all.

That is an irreplaceable gift. It is why I am glowing, and have been since the night of the Gala.

Finally, I want to say: One of my favorite parts of the evening was simply talking to all of you. I was able to hear what HSS means to you and your families, and listen to your vision for the future.

You are all beacons of light, and I am absolutely thrilled to be just one person traveling the path you illuminate. Next year, I have no doubt we will have even more to celebrate. Hope to see you then.

Sincerely,

Anne King
HSS Executive Director

Whether she’s a working mom who needs outpatient counseling services to be her best self, or he is an individual with a developmental disability who needs job coaching and training to find rewarding, gainful employment, we have been there to empower them.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Waterloo, Illinois, we are the primary mental and behavioral health resource for individuals and families in the suburban towns and rural villages of Monroe County.

We have been, and will be here – because we believe we are stronger as a community when we all are given the chance to be our best.

With support from a generous community, a dedicated staff and caring families, we are able to help more than 800 individuals build better lives every single year. But the need grows.

Right now, I’m asking for your help to meet that need.

On May 31, 2019, we will host our second Shine Your Light Gala at The Falls Reception and Conference Center in Columbia, Illinois.

If you attended our gala last year, you know this night is a glamorous evening of dinner, fellowship and live and silent auctions.

But for our clients, this night means so, so much more. For them, this is powerful reassurance that their lives – their successes – are truly valued and supported by the world around them.

Please join me in supporting our gala to help us “shine a light” on mental and behavioral health issues.

You can show your dedication to strengthening our community in several ways.

• Buy tickets to the Gala!
• Consider donating an item from your business to the auction – event tickets, a vacation package, for example.
• Make a cash donation through one of our sponsorship options.

View 2019 Gala Gallery

By supporting Human Support Services in this event, you are generously, proudly, sending the message that the success of our entire community matters.

Thank you in advance for your support. I hope you see you at the Gala!

Anne King, HSS Executive Director