The girls at Pine Home received a wonderful surprise recently when volunteers from The Opus Group, Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago and artist Shane Anderson teamed up to complete a magical makeover. The renovation included remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms, adding safety features and updating the bedrooms.  

But the most eye-catching change came courtesy of artist Shane Anderson who flew in from Minnesota to paint a princess mural in the main living area. The colorful and creative mural made the home feel completely new for the residents.  

“To see so many people from different places coming together to make this home a better place for Little City’s youth is just inspiring to see,” said Executive Director Shawn Jeffers. “These are the moments that not only put smiles on the faces of those who live and work at Little City, but remind all of us of what we can accomplish thanks to the support of our community.” 

The Pine Home is the only girls home at Little City, making it one of the busiest homes as there are rarely times when any room is available for new residents. And as the girls have grown together in the home, the renovation gave them a chance to personalize their space to reflect their personalities. 

Artist Shane Anderson said he wanted to do something in the common space that could be enjoyed by all residents and came up with the concept after hearing what the girls enjoyed. 

“I enjoy creating murals that can really transform a space and getting an opportunity to do it for a cause like this is just great,” he said. “There have been a lot of wonderful volunteers helping bring this to life and I think the kids are going to love it.” 

Bill Brennan, Little City Director of Facilities, said organizations like The Opus Group and Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago are vital to ensuring the homes for Little City’s children remain safe and continue to be a dynamic and supportive environment where they can enjoy learning and growing together.  

The Pine Home is just the most recent contribution the organizations have made to Little City as they previously helped with the stunning mural and renovation at the Center for Employment and Business Opportunities.  

“They’ve just been great to work with and they always go above and beyond,” Bill said. “To get the amount of work done as fast as they do is just incredible. We wouldn’t be able to do this without them.” 

 

Email Michael Sprieser at [email protected] if you’re interested in volunteering at Little City!