About two years ago, when Aaden Barcus took a train to Chicago with his grandmother, he saw a homeless camp under a bridge.
It was a reality of life the Crystal Lake child had never seen before, and it moved him.
“I was just worried,” said Aaden, now 9. He thought, “‘How do they keep warm?’ It was really sad.”
But Aaden didn’t leave it at that.
“I had an idea,” he said.
At first, he considered making heated blankets, but decided that wasn’t doable. So Aaden, now a fourth grader at South Elementary School, chose to collect blankets.
He first proposed the idea to his teacher, asked her to set up a meeting with the principal, wrote up a proposal, and pitched it to his principal, the teacher and principal recalled.
In February, he placed a box in the school lobby and advertised in the school newsletter that he was collecting blankets for unhoused people.
Thanks to friends, teachers and parents, he collected about 25 new and used blankets, some made by his classmates.
The blankets have since been given to Rob Mutert, director of Warp Corps, a skate shop in Woodstock. Mutert and his team also run a nonprofit street outreach program, supplying items such as food, clothing, hygiene products, diapers and blankets.
Mutert, who said blankets are a fairly regular request, said what Aaden has done is “really cool.”
“To see a kid that young, that is motivated to help other people, is a very special thing,” Mutert said. “He seemed very wise beyond his years.”
When Aaden and his dad dropped off the blankets, they discussed ideas for future projects that Aaden might want to take on, Mutert said.
“Some people just don’t feel that way. They don’t get it this young. He was motivated to do more. It’s very refreshing to me,” Mutert said.
Aaden’s mother, Maryanna Barcus, said having the idea to collect blankets and then executing that plan is on par with who her son is.
“He is such a sweetheart, and he is always wanting to help his friends and help people in need,” Barcus said. “Sometimes as adults, we get focused on stuff going on day to day. ... You don’t stop and take a minute to think about what you can do. I thought it was really cool that he wanted to do this. ... And, so many people have so many old blankets sitting around.”
His teacher, Samantha McCreight, called Aaden “such a smart and kind-hearted individual. ... I am beyond impressed and proud that Aaden not only thought of this idea but then followed through with it. He was determined and got it done!” She said he makes friends “wherever he goes, always leads with kindness and will help others in any way he can.”
On top of that, McCreight added that Aaden also “gives some great investment advice!”
Aaden’s project also had an impact on other students, which McCreight witnessed when they worked together in class to make some of the donated blankets.
“We had some great conversations about this drive and why he was doing it. As a class, we discussed what it means to be unhoused, the impact it can have on someone, and where you may encounter situations like this,” McCreight said. “Many students said they had never seen this issue close to home ... and we talked about how, even if we don’t always see a problem, that does not mean it is not there.”
South Principal Rachael Alt said Aaden is “just a great kid” and “a deep thinker” who always comes up with different ideas.
“He is just naturally kind, and he is always kind to everyone,” Alt said. “Our school is all about kindness. Everybody can get an A+ in kindness. You might have a hard time in math or reading, but you can always excel in kindness.”
Aaden said he thinks he will collect blankets again next winter.
“I feel much better now that I know that this is actually going toward what I want,” he said.