You and Your Kids Can Help Save Monarch Butterflies in Illinois

Along with the help of Goodwill of Northern Illinois, you can help restore the shrinking Monarch population in Illinois with a simple planting project.

I wish I had a picture of when my daughter was 3 and a Monarch butterfly landed on her arm while we were at the park. Since that day, her face just lights up whenever she sees a butterfly. We will absolutely be planting milkweed in our yard this Spring.

According to wrex.com, planting milkweed will help the Monarch population. These butterflies need this plant to survive and the milkweed population is down 90 percent in Illinois. You won't need to spend any money to help either. Throughout Northern Illinois, Goodwill stores will be giving out free packets of milkweed seed on Earth Day (April 22).

You'll find participating Goodwill stores in Rockford, Machesney Park, Freeport, Sterling, DeKalb, Ottawa, McHenry, Huntley, Crystal Lake and Algonquin and Beloit, Wisconsin.