Help Build the New Tool Library of Lake County

Help Us Build the New Tool Library of Lake County! (MTL) – ‘Got Tools? Yes, we do!’

**Special Update**

Tool Library Donation Matching Challenge!

A group of anonymous donors has given the Tool Library of Lake County a Donation Matching Challenge to support our Capital Campaign! The donors will match every dollar donated to TLLC by December 15, 2024, up to $7,500! With this matching challenge, every dollar you donate will go twice as far to solidify our continued success at our new location at 309 N. Seymour in Mundelein. We need your financial support to pay for our build-out and other costs associated with our move. You can donate through our GoFundMe page. And if you'd like to donate securities or donate funds from your tax-deferred account for a tax benefit, just let us know so we can help. We're a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation, so all donations can be tax-deductible.

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Dear Friends and Community Members,

Your beloved tool library is temporarily closed as we prepare to open at our new location, 309 N. Seymour in Mundelein. We've found a great space, but we need your help to complete the build-out. We will need $45,000 to make this vision a reality. We have initiated a capital campaign to raise $45,000 by December 15, 2024.

We opened for business on June 4, 2021, as a standalone 501(c)(3) non-profit at the former water works building, with about 450 tools. Over time, our collection grew, and we expanded our services and membership, eventually serving all of Lake County. Now, the tool library has loaned 9,200 tools across 42 zip codes, to more than 1,300 members.

Our free building was sold recently, and the tool library had to relocate and must now pay rent for the first time. Our success is entirely dependent on the communities we serve to support us through fundraising efforts, donations, and sponsorships by local businesses. Please support us in this effort.

How You Can Help:

Donate: Your contribution will directly support the build-out of our new space, rent cost and operations to allow us to continue to support the community.

Share: Help us reach a wider audience by sharing our campaign with your friends, family, and social networks.

Volunteer: We're looking for hands-on help with the build-out and many other functions (including volunteer and membership coordination, fundraising and technology assistance). If you can help in any way, please contact us.

Every dollar and every share will make a difference. Thank you for being a part of our community and for helping us build a brighter future together!

Why Support the Tool Library?

The Tool Library of Lake County is more than just a place to borrow tools; it’s a hub for community connection, skill-building, and sustainability. By providing access to a wide range of tools, we empower individuals to tackle projects they might not otherwise be able to afford. This new location will give us the opportunity to expand our inventory, offer more workshops, and serve even more community members. The tool library has previously hosted boy scout troops, girl scout troops, a butterfly garden presentation, compost giveaways, and other community events.

The benefits to our communities are impactful and numerous. People use our tools to improve their homes, thus increasing the value of their neighborhoods. Patrons find "tool advisor" volunteers who can guide them through various projects, from home improvement and building to gardening and much more. The knowledge and sense of community make the Tool Library of Lake County a great place to come and volunteer.

It is truly a wonderfully uplifting environment where Caring through Sharing has succeeded in helping many in the communities we serve come together, creating something bigger than what we could have accomplished individually. The Tool Library relies entirely on the support of volunteers and individuals willing to donate their time, talents, and energy to sustain its service to our community.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

The Tool Library of Lake County