Give Back to Your Community this Holiday Season
The holiday season will soon be upon us! A wonderful way to experience the joy of the season is to give back to those less fortunate. Wheeling Township is seeking donations for its Thanksgiving Basket Program and the Adopt-A-Family Program, both of which serve low-income families who reside in the Township. As the name implies, the Thanksgiving Basket program provides a traditional holiday meal with all the fixings for qualifying families. The Adopt-A-Family Program enables generous donors to fulfill holiday wish lists for low-income families.
"Year after year, our community comes together to help others," said Wheeling Township Supervisor Kathleen Penner. "We are truly amazed at the generosity shown by our residents every holiday season."
Thanksgiving Program
To help low-income families enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, consider donating to the Thanksgiving Program. Potential donors are asked to send an email stating how many Thanksgiving baskets or boxes they would like to provide to GA@WheelingTownship.com. The deadline to become a donor is Friday, Nov. 12. Once received, a list of items to be donated will be provided to the donor. Donated baskets/boxes (must be covered) include a range of non-perishable food items such as cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, potatoes, and rolls. Additionally, a $25 grocery gift card is also requested so the receiving family can purchase a turkey or other meat to complete their dinner. In 2020, 354 families received Thanksgiving boxes through this program.
Adopt-A-Family Program
If buying and wrapping gifts for a local family sounds appealing, consider participating in the Township's Adopt-A-Family program. This program matches donors (individuals, organizations or businesses) with low-income families and offers the opportunity to spread seasonal joy! Donors are asked to spend between $50 and $100 per family member and can choose the size of the family they wish to sponsor. While the identity of recipient families remains confidential, donors do know they are helping to brighten the holidays for those less fortunate. If you are interested in being an Adopt-A-Family donor, download the form from www.wheelingtownship.com, fill it out, and mail it to Wheeling Township AFP, 1616 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. Interested donors can also send an email to GA@WheelingTownship.com. The deadline to apply is Nov. 12. Donors are provided with wish lists, including clothing sizes, toy ideas and gift suggestions, and are asked to wrap and deliver the gifts to the Township on a pre-assigned date. This heartwarming program brought holiday joy to 232 families, which included 614 children in 2020.
For information on how you can make a difference for local, low-income families this holiday season through either of these programs, contact Wheeling Township's General Assistance Department at GA@WheelingTownship.com.