Lake County Gazette

At the February 3, 2025, Village Board meeting, Village President Eric Smith honored Buffalo Grove residents Amy and Kaylee Leibach as the inaugural "Caring Community Program" award recipients. Amy and her daughter Kaylee were chosen for their work supporting those affected by natural disasters in Hawaii, North Carolina, and most recently, Los Angeles. They have been collecting funds for books, games, and activities to support children and families affected or displaced by hurricanes and natural disasters.

The mother-daughter pair collected over $500 in books and games for those affected by the Hawaii wildfires in 2023, over $3,000 for those affected by Hurricane Helene in 2024, and most recently have partnered with non-profit Families in Schools to support those affected or displaced by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

"When bad things or hard things happen in the community, I think sometimes you feel like you can’t do much about it," Amy said. "But what we found is that books and reading have always been very comforting for us. "

"When there have been natural disasters or other tough things going on, we have started to do book drives so that we can send some of those comforting items to bring joy and help people know that there are people around the country thinking about them," she added.

To support Amy and Kaylee's efforts, individuals interested in donating can reach out to Amy by email at amy.leibach@gmail.com.

The Caring Community Program aims to celebrate individuals, groups, organizations, and programs in Buffalo Grove that embody the community’s “Smart. With Heart.” brand. This initiative will recognize outstanding contributions that enhance the quality of life, demonstrate leadership, and reflect the values of collaboration, compassion, and innovation within Buffalo Grove and beyond. Honorees will be acknowledged bi-annually at Village Board meetings where they will be presented with certificates of recognition by the Village President.

Have someone in mind you'd like to nominate? Fill out a nomination form on our website at www.vbg.org/caringcommunity.