Werries Collier Family
"My husband and I wanted to instill a commitment to community service in our three sons and being able to volunteer as a family has achieved that while also creating many positive memories for us,” says Kristen Werries Collier.
It was over two and half years ago when Kristen found The Honeycomb Project. Volunteering soon after she heard about it through a good friend, her family was hooked. Kristen and her husband, Paul, volunteered as youth and are continuing that commitment to service with their sons Tate (18), Holden (17), and Vaughn (16).
One Honeycomb event that stands out is Manage a Love Fridge. Love Fridge’s mission is to provide 24/7 access to free food. (Love Fridge places refrigerators and pantries at various locations across the city where neighbors can take what they need and leave what they can).
“The boys particularly enjoy the immersive service projects…and there’s a Love Fridge near our home,” says Kristen, “the boys and I talk about what we should donate to the fridge each month.” “We gather our items and then head over to clean out the fridge and fill it. Improving access to food is so important -- we can see the people who come and select their food. It has a direct and immediate benefit in our community.”
Most recently, the Collier family served as Co-Chairs of Honeycomb’s Summer Swarm. The Summer Swarm, held on August 5th, benefitted UCANs 7th Annual Trunk Party. (UCAN serves and impacts over 21,000 at-risk children, youth and families across Illinois). Honeycomb’s donation drive helped offset rising college expenses by making school supplies, dorm room essentials, and personal care items available to college-bound youth from the city’s West Side.
Kristen says, “the Summer Swarm gave our boys a rewarding opportunity to lead a large-scale project from start to finish.” “We were there all day so we got to see the full positive impact of our efforts. It was well run, the turnout was great, and there was an impressive inventory of dorm essentials. It was an amazing experience, and we are looking forward to co-chairing the Summer Swarm again next year.”
The boys’ involvement with Honeycomb sparked their desire to create Kit Fit FC (@kitfitfc), a nonprofit that promotes an active lifestyle by equipping athletes with essential gear. Having collected donations of sneakers and cleats, the Collier boys drew upon their learnings from volunteering with Honeycomb to host equipment giveaways to benefit their youth soccer club and their high school team.
The Collier Family resides in Wicker Park. Tate attends the University of Michigan, where he is studying Engineering and Art/Design, while Holden and Vaughn attend Walter Payton College Prep, where both are members of National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, and the Varsity soccer team. The Collier Family serves on the Honeycomb Leadership Corps and sponsors the Furnish Homes for Families project at the Chicago Furniture Bank. Outside of The Honeycomb Project, the family enjoys exploring the outdoors, skiing together, going to sporting events, and spending time with their dog, Vail.