Three Generations, One Mission: A Family’s Legacy of Serving with Phil’s Friends

It’s not unusual to see families volunteering side by side at a Phil’s Friends Hope Center, decorating and assembling Care Packages, tying fleece blankets, coloring and writing Cards of Hope. But for one family, volunteering with Phil’s Friends has become a three-generation act of serving, rooted in faith, compassion, and a desire to bring hope to those facing cancer.

It began with Sarah Cherry, 47, who first learned about Phil’s Friends in 2021 when her church invited the organization to host a Pack Event for a special teen gathering. “It was a lovely event,”  Sarah recalled, “and the people who participated asked that we keep working with Phil’s Friends.”

So they did.

The church hosted a Pack Events in 2022 and 2023, respectively, then every quarter in 2024, until eventually they were hosting one every month in 2025. This response to help cancer patients inspired Sarah—whose own husband, John, is a 20-year cancer survivor.

“I love that Phil’s Friends sends hope to anyone on a cancer journey. I appreciate how the Care Packages are sent out and then we trust God to touch the lives of the recipient and their caretakers. God know who needs which Care Package and how it will impact their lives, Sarah said.”

She felt led to pray about opening a Hope Center in Kankakee, Illinois, 61 miles southwest of Chicago. The perfect space she had in mind consisted of two unused classrooms at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church & School at 348 E. Merchant Street. The pastor, Roger Drinnon, was fully on board with Sarah’s vision.

But first, the space had to be remodeled to accommodate volunteers and storage. A wall separating the two classrooms was removed by AT&T employees—longtime supporters of Phil’s Friends—while other volunteers cleaned, painted, assembled shelving, and furnished the space to make it warm and welcoming.

The Hope Center officially opened in September 2025, and Sarah became its coordinator. “It has been amazing to see God work from the initial conversation with Phil, the years of prayer, and all the open doors that led to the beautiful Hope Center that is now open. This is all God moving and working.”

Two of those faithful volunteers who helped to prepare and launch the Hope Center were Sarah’s own mother, Debra Turrell, and 17-year-old daughter, Natalie.

Debra’s experience with Phil’s Friends started before the launch, however, through St. Paul’s school, which organized collection drives of items included in the Care Packages. She had also been knitting hats for the Care Packages.

So, when Sarah first began talking with Founder Phil Zielke and Crown Point Hope Center Manager Judy Earnshaw in 2021 about opening a Hope Center in Kankakee, Debra was eager to help.

“My mom and I have always had the same heart for service and connecting people together around a common purpose,” Sarah said of their years serving together in various ministries.

Debra recalls traveling with Sarah to Crown Point to observe operations and to learn how a Hope Center operates. “It was very informative as to how things are done—learning about all the donations, the number of regular, consistent volunteers, and what a large, ongoing operation Phil’s Friends is and how many people are being ministered to every month,” Debra, 71, said. “Since that time, the ministry has grown significantly, of course, and we are excited to be able to be a part of it.”

Natalie also started volunteering years earlier than the launch by tying fleece blankets with her brother and cousins, who were all homeschooled. At that time, however, Natalie said she wasn’t aware that some of the blankets went to Phil’s Friends. “Making blankets gave us something other than schoolwork to do in the winter months,” she said. “We were being taught generosity and giving of ourselves, [and] it was just something fun to do in the winter.”

Once the Hope Center launched, however, Natalie became more involved. She now serves as the inventory coordinator and assists with blanket quality control. She also steps in as coordinator whenever Sarah isn’t available.

Since its opening, the impact of the new Hope Center has been overwhelming. “We have people from other churches now volunteering on a regular basis,” Debra said. “And we are beginning to see requests for private events from a variety of churches and organizations.”

She added, “I see such a huge impact on those who volunteer, too. It’s building friendships and community. People from various places have the opportunity to interact with people they would never have otherwise.”

Sarah heartily concurs. “It is awesome to see people unite for a common cause. Everyone is excited to help and excited to be together. While we are blessing others when we send out the Care Packages, we are also blessing each other with new friendships built around a common purpose.”

Sarah, Debra, and Natalie’s story reflects the heart of Phil’s Friends. It’s about people coming together, even across generations, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, spreading his love and light to those who need it most. And, as these three wonderful women have discovered, when service becomes a legacy, its impact reaches far beyond a single day of volunteering. It touches lives now and for generations to come.