Metropolitan DuPage Formally Announces Treasure House Expansion Plans
A mainstay of Glen Ellyn’s downtown business district and the DuPage Community is expanding its presence as the Treasure House resale shop formally announces expansion plans on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at Metropolitan Family Services DuPage Center, 222 E. Willow Ave., Wheaton. Architect Craig Pryde of PPK Architects will describe the project and show a DVD rendering of the project. The announcement will be made at approximately 7:45 p.m. as part of Metropolitan DuPage’s Annual Meeting. The meeting is open to media and the community.
The Treasure House, located at 497 Pennsylvania Ave. in Glen Ellyn, Ill., was started in the late 1950s by a group of DuPage women who wanted to help local families who were less fortunate. Today it’s a thriving shop that typically raises $150,000 annually, and it features a wide range of items such as china and crystal, clothing and shoes, furniture, household and lawn goods, and many one-of-a-kind finds.
Treasure House proceeds benefit Metropolitan Family Services DuPage, which serves more than 8,000 DuPage residents each year with counseling and mental health services, early childhood education services, adoption preservation services, elder care respite services, parent education services and the MetroMentors youth mentoring program.
The expansion, which will add 3,136 square feet to the Treasure House, has become a necessity as the store has outgrown its current space. Every space of the facility is filled with items. In addition, during the holiday season Treasure House has to rent additional space nearby to display an extensive variety of decorations, ornaments and gifts, a selection that is very popular with shoppers and contributes significantly to the store’s profits.
A capital project is being launched to finance the expansion, which will target private and public funding. The private fundraising goal is $100,000. Metropolitan DuPage Board Members Bob Hutchinson and Damian Walch are spearheading the project, along with dedicated volunteer Bob Denney. The Boards of Metropolitan DuPage and Treasure House, as well as the MFSD Women’s Leagues of Wheaton and Glen Ellyn, all will be joining in the effort.
The project will start with a renovation of the Treasure Houses’ façade, planned to begin by November 2010. The groundbreaking for the addition is anticipated for early spring 2011, and the overall project’s completion is expected by June 2011.
To find out how you can help support the Treasure House’s expansion project, contact Pat Mathis at 630/784-4834.
About Metropolitan Family Services
Since 1930, Metropolitan Family Services DuPage has helped families restore balance in their lives and achieve economic stability; provided youth mentoring; counseled parents, children and seniors; and provided respite to family caregivers. Metropolitan DuPage is part of Metropolitan Family Services, one of the first and largest human services agencies in the Chicago area, reaching approximately 45,000 individuals and families in Chicago and the suburbs with programs and services that help families realize their potential and lead healthy, productive lives.