Catholic Charities' Celebration of Giving needs 65,000 to 80,000 square feet of
empty warehouse space near Waukegan, November 15 to December 20. No rent is being asked for.
If you own or manage industrial space that will be sitting dark this fall, it can be the
reason Christmas happens for 9,000 families.
The space is used to collect, sort and distribute donated toys, housewares and clothing.
If your building is close to that size range, it is still worth a call — the fit is
often better than it looks on paper.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago runs the Celebration of Giving Christmas
gift program, which provides Christmas gifts to more than 9,000 children, families and
fixed-income seniors across Cook and Lake counties each year.
The program has no permanent facility. Every year it depends on a building owner deciding
to lend one — and every year it starts the search over.
“Each year we find ourselves in the unenviable position of heading into the Christmas
season without a warehouse or other facility from which to collect and distribute the gifts
donated to our clients. It might seem like Christmas is too far away to consider this matter
urgent — please think again.”
A lease or a sale comes first. If your building is on the market and you are
mid-negotiation, that deal wins. That is not a courtesy, it is the right answer.
Five weeks should never cost you a transaction.
An early exit can be asked for. If a right to end the arrangement early would make
this possible for you, say so and I will take that question to Catholic Charities before you
commit to anything.
Your advisors review everything. Catholic Charities states that it assumes all
liability for the occupancy period and pays all utility costs. Confirm the specifics with
them directly, and have your attorney and insurance advisor review anything before signing.
There is no commission in this for me. I'm Jason Bitton, RE/MAX Commercial.
I sell and lease industrial buildings in Lake County, and I am assisting the program with
the search. I am not asking for a listing.
Send the size and location and I will get it straight to Catholic Charities. If it isn't a
fit, no reply is needed.