Little Hats, Big Hearts … and you!

Throughout our 93+ years, Epstein has had a long history of being intimately involved in charitable interests or causes throughout the Chicagoland region. For instance, our former chairman, Sidney Epstein, is the founding member of the Chicago Youth Centers and Sid's 60+ year devotion and energy to this group was the impetus that helped start our own employee-run charity - The Epstein Community Foundation in 2008.

In addition to our company altruistic involvement, individual 'family' members of our company also have personal groups or charitable organizations that are near and dear to our hearts. Once such case involves Aleisha Jaeger, our director of construction operations, and her husband's (Ryan) personal involvement with the 'Little Hats, Big Hearts' program. The goal of the Chicago Chapter American Heart Association 'Little Hats' campaign is to provide knitted red hats to all babies born in February at participating Chicagoloand hospitals and in the process raise awareness for congenital heart defects (CHD), the most common type of birth defect in the country. You see, Aleisha's daughter was born with CHD and spent the better part of her first year of life at Edwards, Advocate/Hope Children's, Lurie and Central DuPage Hospitals getting healthy enough to come home. Thankfully after several nerve-racking surgeries Aleisha's daughter is now a healthy and energetic three year-old girl.

Even though Aleisha is no longer living with the constant fear of being a parent of critically ill baby, she, Ryan and her mother-in-law Virginia are involved with supporting this 'Little Hats, Big Hearts' movement. For instance, Ryan has personally helped get Elmhurst and Edwards Hospital's involved in the program and Virginia has already knitted over 100 hats! And Aleisha is doing her part by helping to collect red yarn and spreading the word on the program for the hats that will be given to newborns throughout Chicagoland in February.

Here's just one of hats Virginia has already knitted.

Therefore from now until January 15th Aleisha will be collecting yarn or knitted hats which can be donated to Epstein as well. So if you've got some spare yarn hanging 'round your home or are a knitter who would like to participate, send or drop off materials to us at 600 West Fulton Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661, attention Aleisha Jaeger, and your donation will help raise awareness and continue the scary fight against CHD!

Lastly, here's a link to the Little Hats, Big Hearts program - http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Chicago-Little-Hats-Big-Hearts_UCM_466283_SubHomePage.jsp as well as a link to an article on the project that ran in the Tribune - http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elmhurst/community/chi-ugc-article-knitters-crocheters-babies-at-edward-elmhu-2014-08-12-story.html