TRUSTEE GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY

Dolton Trustee Tiffany Henyard hosted two giveaway events during the Thanksgiving holiday. Henyard wanted to show her residents that she cares about their needs. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Henyard
Dolton Trustee Tiffany Henyard hosted two giveaway events during the Thanksgiving holiday. Henyard wanted to show her residents that she cares about their needs. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Henyard

 Trustee gives back to community

BY TIA CAROL JONES

     Tiffany Henyard, a Village of Dolton trustee, has been dubbed the “People’s Trustee.” During the Thanksgiving Holiday, Henyard showed her care and concern for the community by hosting two events.
     On Wednesday, Nov. 25, Henyard hosted a food giveaway and on Sunday, Nov. 29, a gas giveaway was held. The goal of both events was to reach out and assist the most vulnerable citizens in Dolton, which include elderly and homeless residents, as well as frontline workers. Communities have been hit hard due to COVID-19, with job loss and lack of resources, like food.
     “The people of Dolton are proud, hardworking people. Those who are considered essential are having challenges getting to and from the essential job that helps to keep all the rest of us going,” Henyard said. “If we can help someone along the way in these trying times, we all should.”
     Henyard said she split the two events up because the demand was “ridiculous.” She said she wanted to change it to get a bigger impact and help more people. Henyard said at the Nov. 25 event, more than 3,000 households were fed. She said she advertised for 3,000 participants,  to 4,200 people who attended. For the Nov. 29 event, up to $10,000 worth of gas was given away.
     Henyard said she wanted to do the events because she received a lot of phone calls from residents in her community. She said she wanted to focus on residents of Dolton, especially the essential frontline workers.
     “They are frontline defense and they always, always put their lives on the line. So, I figured what better way to help them than to help giving them a way to get to work. Because they needed a way to get from A to B. Instead of calling me to
Uber them, I put gas in their car, and they were really thankful for that,” she said.
    Henyard said people were grateful for the assistance and were excited about having more opportunities to receive assistance.
     “I see that impacts a lot of people’s lives and I want to keep doing that,” she said. “If I can take some of the burden of their backs, by all means, my resources are theirs.”
     Thornton Township President Frank Zuccarelli donated boxes of food, which included a whole meal for Thanksgiving dinner. Michael Airhart, with Taste of the Homeless, also donated food to the event.
     Henyard said right now, the community is hurting, and it is important they know what love feels like. She said as the “People’s Trustee,” she wants to show what her community can be if they stick with her as they have done throughout her seven years as a trustee in Dolton. “People are struggling with mental depression and being in the house, cooped up due to COVID. I just want to change the outlook and let them know
somebody is out here that actually cares about them,” she said.
     Henyard said if anybody is in need, they can call 708-963-2137 or follow her on Facebook at Tiffany Henyard. Also, if people want to volunteer or join the team, contact Henyard.

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