Mack-Walls Family
Our son recognizes the beauty of giving back,” says Renee Mack. “With Credell Jr. as an only child, we wanted to create opportunities for him to be service oriented…we are thankful that we found The Honeycomb Project.”
Renee and her husband, Credell, and their son Credell Jr. (age 8) searched the Internet for ways to connect with volunteerism. A few years ago, they stumbled upon Honeycomb’s Annual Spring Green Bee Challenge. In honor of Earth Month, this month-long initiative mobilizes kids and their families to step up as everyday environmentalists and incorporate"green" practices into their daily lives.
Already mindful of their carbon footprint, finding Honeycomb when this challenge began was perfect timing. Renee says, “We loved this layer of environmental awareness that we already loved as a family.”
During the Green Bee Challenge in 2023 and 2024, the Mack-Walls Family received awards for their participation. In 2025, with 57 teams participating, the family ended up on the top of the leaderboard -taking home First Place.
“Last April, we didn’t simply complete some of the missions in the app. We committed to the Green Bee Challenge. Credell talked about the activities and kept the family going…he inspired us to go all in,” Renee says. One of the family’s favorite aspects of the challenge was “becoming more tapped into resources the City offers and deepening our relationship with green resources.”
In addition to the Green Bee Challenge, Credell Jr and his parents volunteer in several other Honeycomb projects, including stocking their neighborhood Love Fridges and Free Libraries. They also enjoy sorting and organizing clothes at Share Our Spare and cleaning up neighborhood school routes.
“We are a part of the Honeycomb Community,” Renee says. “What we’ve seen from Credell, is his willingness to participate and his pride in serving the communities we live in.”
The Mack-Walls Family lives in Kenwood. Outside of Honeycomb, Renee is studying urban farming and volunteers for other service organizations. Credell works at the Sand Ridge Nature Center in South Holland and is active with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program. Credell Jr. is a third-grade, honor roll student at Shoesmith Elementary School and enjoys puzzles, learning about Japanese culture and is an avid reader.