*** UPDATE *** Our tornado relief effort has surpassed the $10,000 mark. Way to go, everybody! Thanks! If you haven’t yet, please click here to give.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Thanks to generous donations from Sen. John Sullivan, Rep. Emily McAsey, Elizabeth Austin and others, our total raised so far for Washington, IL-area tornado victims is now $9,300. Thanks to all. Your donations will be put to good use. If you’d like to contribute, just click here. It’s easy to do and you’ll feel good afterwards.

* The Washington area wasn’t the only hard-hit location. Rep. Chad Hays asked me to remind you that Gifford residents were hard hit by the massive tornados. The Gifford State Bank has set up a PayPal account to accept donations. Click here to help. [Fixed link.]

* I’ve also been asked to post this Tweet…

.@ILStateMuseum & @IllinoisDNR are collecting food items for the @CentralILFoodbk through 12/31! #MiniAbe donated: pic.twitter.com/T4Niy6asLI

— Enjoy Illinois (@enjoyillinois) November 26, 2013

* Secretary of State Jesse White is a contributor to our fundraising drive. White sent a mobile unit to Washington for the past several days. From a press release…

“Last week my office’s mobile unit provided direct service to nearly 200 people,” said White. “These are important services that help residents get a duplicate state ID card or driver’s license, or expediting a duplicate title. I am pleased to extend the mobile unit’s stay for another day in Washington.”

The mobile unit is designed to bring a variety of office services directly to the community, including: duplicate certificate of title, duplicate vehicle registration, duplicate driver’s license and duplicate state ID card. There will be no charge for these services.

In addition, White said the mobile unit will participate in the priority title service on titles, duplicate titles, and corrected titles for residents of Washington. The fees for these services will also be waived. White noted that the priority service allows his office to process these title requests within just two days.

White initiated a law effective in July 2012 that gives his office authority to waive certain fees for residents impacted by natural disasters and living in counties that have been declared disaster areas by the governor.

As is his custom, Secretary White himself will distribute 13,500 turkeys to the needy on December 20th in Chicago.

* From Greg Goldner at Resolute Consulting…

We want to wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!

We are thankful for our family, friends, employees and the many relationships we have formed over the years.

As you give thanks this year, consider volunteering or donating to local food depositories to help those in need throughout the holiday season.

For those in the Chicago area, check out the following:

Greater Chicago Food Depository’s 1 City, 1 Food Drive

Northern Illinois Food Bank

Feeding Illinois, state food bank association

You can also use Feeding America’s food bank locator to find the food bank nearest to your community.

* Do you have a charitable cause you’d like to publicize before Thanksgiving? Tell us about it in comments. And don’t forget to give to our tornado fund. Thanks!

…Adding… I had this in the queue and forgot to post it…

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) is helping collect food to benefit the Lakeview Pantry East this holiday season.

“The last few years have been tough for many local families,” Feigenholtz said. “The economy has put a strain on food pantries at a time when they are needed the most.”

Items needed include peanut butter, jelly, whole grain products (e.g., cereal and pasta), canned tuna, canned meat, canned beans or vegetables, canned fruit in juice, low sodium soup, vegetable juice or V8, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other non-perishable, non-expired food items.

Donations will be collected at Feigenholtz’s office at 3223 N. Sheffield Ave., Suite A, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. through Wednesday, Nov. 27. The items will then be delivered to the Lakeview Pantry East, located at 3831 N. Broadway next Wednesday.