Elmhurst family helps neighbor as part of adoption efforts

ELMHURST – An Elmhurst family on a mission to expand its numbers has chosen a journey that benefits its neighbor, as well.

“We have so much to give as a family,” John Contant said, explaining why the family of six feels called to adopt a second child from China.

The Contants won’t just be giving an orphan a new home; they also enlisted a couple dozen others to help them fix up their neighbor Ed Ronne’s home through an organization called Both Hands.

The organization’s mission, “to serve orphans, widows and adoptive families,” comes to life as adoptive families assemble a crew of volunteers and supplies to repair a widow’s home. In exchange for their volunteer work, the family and friends ask for sponsors to fund an adoption.

Contant likened the project to charitable races where donors sponsor a runner, but instead of running a race, the Contants, along with family and friends, gave their time and energy to fix up Ronne's home.

“Ed has been in our family’s life,” Contant said.

Ronne’s late wife, Sandy, met Anne Contant, John’s wife, at a Bible study group. When Sandy passed away two years ago, the Contants continued to stay in touch with Ronne, whom John describes as a grandfather-like figure to the Contant children.

“We’ve been having Ed over every Thursday for dinner and welcoming him to the chaos of having four kids,” John Contant said.

A little more than a year after John and Anne adopted their daughter Maeve from China, the couple has embarked on a mission to bring another child into the Contant family.

“People look at us and go, ‘You’re nuts,’” John Contant said about welcoming a fifth child into their home.

He said it’s not just a desire to give what they can to another orphan that compels him and his family, but also their experience during Maeve’s adoption.

“Maeve has given us so much,” Contant said.

Their first adoption took eight years, which is longer than typical, he said. In August 2013, they finally brought home Maeve Long Bing, a little girl with albinism, who is now 2 years old.

“She’s a cute little girl. She’s growing up so fast,” 86-year-old Ronne said of the youngest Contant child.

More than two dozen people arrived at Ed Ronne’s Elmhurst home on a chilly Saturday morning equipped with paint, rakes and hammers. The crew included the Contants’ three other children, Tristan, 14, Ella, 10, and Aidan, 6.

“It was a lot more than I ever expected,” said Ronne, who has lived in the same Elmhurst home for the past 45 years.

On Saturday, the crew of volunteers who ranged in age from 6 to 60 managed to complete yard work, clean gutters and repair Ronne’s back porch. Inside, they painted several rooms, ripped out carpet, installed new light fixtures and new flooring and gave the house a deep cleaning.

“She would have loved to have been here Saturday,” Ronne said of his late wife.

Contant wanted to thank Panera Bread in Oak Brook, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A in Elmhurst, Home Depot in Northlake and HOBO in Villa Park for donating supplies and food for volunteers.

He said his family expects to need about $35,000 to fund the adoption process. Both Hands collects donations designated for the Contants and puts them in an escrow account the family can draw from for adoption expenses. Should any money be left over, it will be applied to another adoption either by the Contants or another family.

The money has started to come in, but Contant said they are still a long way from their goal.

Ronne helped the Contants financially during Maeve’s adoption, so when they heard about the Both Hands project, they knew they would use the opportunity to give back to Ronne. While they had a plan, Contant was still surprised by the project.

“It’s very humbling that people would give us their time like this,” he said.

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How to help

To donate to the Contants' adoption, visit bothhands.org/john-and-anne-contant.