Wheeling Helping Hands donates gift cards to families

A Wheeling community group partnered with a local school to ensure 80 families in need in Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 had gifts for the holiday season.

Wheeling Helping Hands Partnered with Holmes Middle School to donate nearly $3,000 in gift cards, said Dave Vogel, the group's director and treasurer.

The cards were for Aldi, Walmart and the Carnicerias Jimenez grocery store. They were delivered a few days before Christmas.

Wheeling Helping Hands is a nonprofit group that partners with police and fire departments, schools, businesses and other organizations to help local residents.

They provide food, clothes and other needed goods.

The funds used to purchase the gift cards were raised through the group's annual Brat Fest and individual donations, said Vogel, who also is a Wheeling trustee.

"All the members of Wheeling Helping Hands take great pride in our organization and are grateful for the ability and the opportunity to help those in need," Vogel said.

"We are also thankful to all of those individuals who have entrusted us with their donations to make all of our good deeds possible."

For more information, visit wheelinghelpinghands.org.