May 20, 2024
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Jesse White Tumblers performing in Joliet Saturday at benefit

Helping Hands Family Outreach Inc, is raising money to buy children winter essentials

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Andre Williams of the Jesse White Tumblers soars over 12 teammates and audience members during the Black History Month event, titled “Celebrating Black Stories: Narratives on Identity, Belonging and Community,” which was held Feb. 24, 2022, at Huntley High School.

Andre Williams of the Jesse White Tumblers soars over 12 teammates and audience members during the Black History Month event, titled “Celebrating Black Stories: Narratives on Identity, Belonging and Community,” which was held Feb. 24, 2022, at Huntley High School. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

A grassroots fundraiser at a Joliet theater will include an appearance from Jesse White and the Jesse White Tumblers.

Helping Hands Family Outreach Inc. will host its “Holiday Concert and Dinner” on Saturday at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet.

“We feel that the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre is a jewel in the Joliet community,” said Brandye Phillips, Helping Hands Family Outreach executive director. “And we want everyone to be exposed to the wonderful educational creative artistic prog that happens there. It’s a great place of family fun.”

The lobby with cash bar opens at 4:30 p.m. A free catered pasta dinner to honor veterans will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the lobby.

Registration is required by Friday. Anyone from the community may attend, Phillips said.

The free concert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Phillips herself will sing classics, standards, rock and roll and holiday hits backed by the JazBlusion Band.

The Jesse White Tumblers will open the show. Paul Parpet, who was inducted into Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, will serve as emcee.

No registration is required for the concert.

Brandye Phillips (left) executive director of the Joliet-based Helping Hands Family Outreach Inc., enjoys "Concerts on the Hill" at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre with her mother Gloria Phillips (right). Helping Hands is hosting a fundraiser Saturday at Bicentennial Park to raise money for winter coats for children in need.

Brandye Phillips (left) executive director of the Joliet-based Helping Hands Family Outreach Inc., enjoys "Concerts on the Hill" at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre with her mother Gloria Phillips (right). Helping Hands is hosting a fundraiser Saturday at Bicentennial Park to raise money for winter coats for children in need. (Photo provided by the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre)

Guests are encouraged to leave a free-will donation at the event, which Helping Hands will use for purchasing coats and other winter essentials for children in need of them.

Suggested donation for the dinner and concert is $20 or $10 for only the show, according to a news release from Bicentennial Park annoucning the event.

“Our whole goal is to make sure that no child is left behind – and to strengthen families,” Phillips said.

Helping Hands Family Outreach, Inc supports children of " fallen officers, military service persons, veterans, first responders, and at-risk youth through education, mentoring, job skills training, community outreach, and cyberbullying programs,” according to its website.

Phillips said she and her family started Helping Hands 10 years ago and ran the organization “out-of- pocket,” she said.

“Basically we just did what we could for people in the community,” Phillips said. “Now that the organization has grown – now that we’re officially a 501(c)(3) – we’re giving people an opportunity to get involved and do help more people.”

“Our whole goal is to make sure that no child is left behind – and to strengthen families.”

—  Brandye Phillips, Helping Hands Family Outreach executive director

Phillips said Helping Hands is a resource organization. It connects people in need to resources close to them, she said. Partnering with Jesse White has made that possible, both because of his reach and because he keeps encouraging her to do more for families, she said.

“Jesse White had been my personal mentor through my books,” Phillips said. “He mentored me through the process of writing five books. I’ve always admired the work Jesse White has done in the community for children and families and I have so much respect for the work that he did as a Secretary of State for the citizen of Illinois.”

Why Jesse White has tumblers

Jesse White, an Army veteran who served as Illinois Secretary of State from 1998 to 2023, said he has spoken at many Helping Hands events. White said he met Phillips years ago when she worked as a clerk at one of his facilities and published her first children’s book.

White appreciates Phillips’ desire to improve for at-risk children and “keep kids away from the negative aspects of life,” he said. That’s why White founded the Jesse White Tumblers in 1959: to provide alternatives for at-risk youth.

“She and I, we’re singing out of the same hymn book,” White said.

White said his tumblers give more than 1,500 performances a year, nationally and internationally. But performance is just one aspect of his program.

“We teach them to get the best education possible,” White said. “We teach them to love their fellowmen and women…and we remind them that they, too, must do something good for someone every day. If you do these things, society will be a better place.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Holiday Concert and Dinner

WHEN: Saturday. Lobby and cash bar open at 4:30 p.m. Dinner is 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Indoor holiday concert is from 7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet

ETC: Performance by Jesse White Tumblers will kick the show off. Special appearance by Jesse White. Paul Parpet (Illinois High School Football Coach Hall of Fame in 2002 and Illinois High School Baseball Coach Hall of Fame in 2014) will serve as emcee.

TICKETS: Reserve by calling 815-280-3366 or emailing helpinghandsillinois@aol.com. Suggested donation for the dinner and concert is $20 or $10 for only the show.

INFORMATION: Visit helpinghandsillinois.com and bicentennialpark.org.