WheelingStrong, Wheeling, IL (2026)

01/07/2026

🤝 Community Resource Day | Día de Recursos Comunitarios

Shared by Wheeling Strong | Compartido por Wheeling Strong
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We want to make sure our neighbors know about this free community resource day happening at Indian Trails Public Library District in partnership with OMNI Youth Services.

Queremos asegurarnos de que nuestros vecinos conozcan este día gratuito de recursos comunitarios que se llevará a cabo en Indian Trails Public Library District, en colaboración con OMNI Youth Services.
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A social worker from the The Village of Wheeling and a resource services coordinator will be available to provide private, one-on-one support for individuals and families who may need help navigating resources.

Una trabajadora social del Village of Wheeling y una coordinadora de servicios comunitarios estarán disponibles para brindar apoyo privado e individual a personas y familias que necesiten ayuda para acceder a recursos.
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📍 Indian Trails Public Library – Main Library /
Biblioteca Principal (2nd Floor / 2.º piso)

📅 Thursday, January 8 / Jueves, 8 de Enero
⏰ 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

🟢 No registration required | No es necesario registrarse

🌎 Services available in English & Spanish | Servicios disponibles en inglés y español
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🔴 Housing & Utilities Support | Vivienda y Servicios Públicos
Rental, mortgage & utility assistance
Asistencia para alquiler, hipoteca y servicios públicos

🔴 Benefits Assistance | Asistencia con Beneficios
Help applying or reapplying for Medicaid & SNAP
Ayuda con Medicaid y SNAP

🔴 Employment Support | Apoyo Laboral
Unemployment benefits & resume updates
Beneficios de desempleo y actualización de currículum

🔴 Access to Care | Acceso a la Atención Médica
For individuals without Social Security numbers
Para personas sin número de Seguro Social
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This is a great opportunity to connect with trusted professionals in a safe, private setting.

Esta es una excelente oportunidad para conectarse con profesionales de confianza en un entorno seguro y privado.
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✨ Please note / Nota:
This event is hosted by Indian Trails Public Library in partnership with OMNI Youth Services. Wheeling Strong is simply sharing this resource to help connect our community.

Este evento es organizado por Indian Trails Public Library en colaboración con OMNI Youth Services. Wheeling Strong únicamente comparte este recurso para ayudar a conectar a nuestra comunidad. ✨
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If you or someone you know could benefit, please share this post. 🤍

Si usted o alguien que conoce podría beneficiarse, por favor comparta esta publicación. 🤍
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✨One Community. One Mission. One Wheeling.
Una Comunidad. Una Misión. Un Wheeling

01/01/2026

Welcome, 2026!

As we step into 2026, we carry gratitude for what we’ve built and hope for what’s still possible.

Thank you for choosing community.
Thank you for choosing care.
Thank you for choosing Wheeling Strong.

Happy New Year!

One community. One mission. One Wheeling. 🤍

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¡Bienvenido, 2026!

Al comenzar este 2026, llevamos con nosotros gratitud por lo que hemos construido y esperanza por todo lo que aún es posible.

Gracias por elegir a la comunidad.
Gracias por elegir el cuidado mutuo.
Gracias por elegir a Wheeling Strong.

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Una comunidad. Una misión. Un Wheeling. 🤍

12/24/2025

Wheeling, Christmas arrived early — and together, we did this. 🥺♥️

Over the course of ten days, this community came together in a way that was intentional, coordinated, and deeply human.

For ten straight days, Wheeling showed up — and there wasn’t a single day that passed without donations moving through our local businesses for our neighbors.

Not one.

Every day, something arrived.
A bag. A box. A trunk opened.
Someone choosing to think about their neighbors — and act on it.

This wasn’t one event.
It wasn’t one organization.
It was a sustained, deliberate, collective effort — day after day after day.

From the beginning, WheelingStrong focused on expanding reach — working in the background to support and coordinate with multiple organizations so as many families in our town as possible could be covered this holiday season.

Behind the scenes, we partnered with Casa D Boyd, coordinating three local Wheeling businesses as drop-off locations for coats and toys.
•Alianza Hispana Income Tax Wheeling
•FJP Insurance Agency
•Veronica Roman - State Farm Insurance Agent
Because the community kept showing up every single day, over 200 families were supported through that effort alone.

At the same time, Hands Off Wheeling & Wheeling Rapid Response Team mobilized food, clothing, and toy donations through their Holiday Community Drive at Rise N Dine Breakfast & Lunch supporting over 100 additional families served through WheelingStrong.

And in between those larger efforts, the community never paused.

People stopped in before work.
After work.
On lunch breaks.
They came back a second time.
They asked where the need was greatest.

Midway through, the The Village of Wheeling, Wheeling Police Department, and the stepped in with over 500 jackets for adults. And when it came to children’s coats, the community filled the gap — completely.

Then came Saturday — a turning point that carried this effort to an entirely different level. 😭

A Sprinter truck pulled up filled wall to wall with boxes upon boxes of brand-new toys, donated anonymously connected through the Rotary Club of Wheeling, IL. Just generosity moving quietly through word of mouth.

That same day, connections of Dave Vogel from Wheeling Helping Hands, a local U.S. military veteran arrived with totes upon totes of food.

As the doors stayed opened,the flow never stopped.
Last-minute drop-offs.
Wheeling Firefighters showing up with toys.
Arms full.
Hearts wide open.

The toys were intentionally split — supporting Casa D Boyd’s event at Casa Alegre de MedTec, families served directly through WheelingStrong, and a final distribution to an entire subdivision where 95% of households have children.

The food was split evenly — reaching families through St. Joseph the Worker , families served directly through WheelingStrong, and that same subdivision where nearly every household is raising children.

What all of that became:

• 200+ families supported through Casa D Boyd
• 100+ individual family deliveries completed through Wheeling Strong, including a final large-scale drop reaching hundreds of children
• 20+ families supported through St. Joseph the Worker Church
• 500+ adult jackets kept in our community through the Korean Friendship Network
• Children fully covered with coats and toys
• Food shared equitably across partner distributions

Together: more than 900 people and families served.

Those aren’t numbers.
They’re parents exhaling.
Kids staying warm.
Tables that won’t be empty.

And here’s the truth underneath all of it:

This didn’t happen because of systems or funding.
It happened because everyday people showed up — every single day.

This wasn’t charity.
This was consistency.
This was coordination.
This was a town refusing to let anyone fall through the cracks.

Wheeling didn’t pause.
Wheeling didn’t fragment.
Wheeling showed up — every single day.

This is what happens when a community chooses people over everything else. 🥺♥️🫶🏽

One Community. One Mission. One Wheeling.

12/14/2025

🤍 THIS IS WHAT WHEELING DOES 🤍

In our little town, we take care of our own.

This holiday season, Casa D Boyd is leading a toy/coat drive for Wheeling families, and if you’ve been asking how to help locally — this is one simple, meaningful way.

A toy dropped off.
A child smiling.
A family feeling supported.

🎁 Gently Used/New Toy & Coat donations are being accepted now through Saturday, December 20th
(New, unwrapped toys)

📍 Wheeling neighbors opening their doors as drop-off locations:

•Alianza Hispana Income Tax Wheeling
27 N Elmhurst Rd, Wheeling, IL

•FJP Insurance Agency
47 W Dundee Rd, Suite 2NE, Wheeling,IL

•Veronica Roman - State Farm Insurance Agent
851 W Dundee Rd, Wheeling IL

No pressure. No big ask.
Just neighbors helping neighbors — the Wheeling way.

Thank you for always showing up, for caring, and for being the kind of town that makes moments like this possible. 🤍

One Community. One Mission. One Wheeling.

— WheelingStrong

11/28/2025

🧡 THANKSGIVING IN ACTION 🧡

Before the night ends, we just want to say thank you.

Tonight, on Thanksgiving Day, we were able to feed 50 families in our community — families who were nominated by you: neighbors, teachers, friends, and community members who spoke up on their behalf.

Each family received two dozen tamales, lovingly made by Wheeling’s very own: La Perla Tapatia Supermarket.

In total, 1,200 tamales were prepared and delivered.

The 58 dozen purchased were made possible by neighbors who rose to the occasion — the Tickman family, along with three other community sponsors, each stepping in with open hands and willing hearts. And as that generosity unfolded, Martha (owner) and her family offered another 42 dozen, a gift rooted in love.

Our final delivery was made at 9:19 PM — not as a symbolic moment, but as a quiet reminder of how many hands, seen and unseen, carried today to completion.

Applications were filled out. Messages were shared. Money was given. Time was volunteered. Food was prepared. Routes were driven. Doors were opened. Gratitude was felt.

And somehow, it all found its way exactly where it needed to go.

If you were part of even the smallest piece of this — please know it mattered more than you will ever see.

Tonight wasn’t about a program.
It was about people.

Thank you for being part of something real. 🤍

One community. One Mission. One Wheeling.

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🧡 ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS EN ACCIÓN 🧡

Antes de que termine la noche, simplemente queremos decir gracias.

Esta noche, en el Día de Acción de Gracias, pudimos alimentar a 50 familias de nuestra comunidad — familias que fueron nominadas por ustedes: vecinos, maestros, amigos y miembros de la comunidad que hablaron por ellas.

Cada familia recibió dos docenas de tamales, preparados con amor por un negocio orgullo de Wheeling: La Perla Tapatía Supermarket.

En total, se prepararon y entregaron 1,200 tamales.

Las 58 docenas que fueron compradas fueron posibles gracias a vecinos que estuvieron a la altura del momento — la familia Tickman, junto con otros tres patrocinadores de la comunidad, cada uno dando un paso al frente con manos abiertas y corazones dispuestos. Y mientras esa generosidad se multiplicaba, Martha (la dueña) y su familia ofrecieron otras 42 docenas, un regalo nacido del amor.

Nuestra última entrega se realizó a las 9:19 PM — no como un momento simbólico, sino como un recordatorio silencioso de cuántas manos, visibles e invisibles, llevaron este día a su cumplimiento.

Se llenaron solicitudes.
Las voces se alzaron.
El dinero se donó con amor.
El tiempo se entregó con el corazón.
Las manos prepararon comida.
Los caminos se recorrieron con propósito.
Las puertas se abrieron.
Y la gratitud se quedó en el alma.

Y, de alguna manera, todo encontró su camino exactamente a donde tenía que llegar.

Si fuiste parte siquiera del pedacito más pequeño de esto, por favor recuerda que importó más de lo que jamás podrás ver.

Esta noche no se trató de un programa.
Se trató de personas.

Gracias por ser parte de algo real. 🤍

Una comunidad. Una misión. Un Wheeling.

11/26/2025

¡Wheeling, lo logramos!
Ya se entregaron los 52 pavos y las canastas completas de cena de esta campaña. 🤍🦃
Y la manera en que estas 52 familias llegaron a nosotros demuestra por qué esta comunidad es tan especial.

Fueron nominadas por:
• Personal del Distrito 21 que conoce las historias de sus estudiantes
• El liderazgo de la Iglesia St. Joseph
• Negocios locales que notan, sin decir nada, cuando alguien la está pasando difícil
• Administradores que están al pendiente de sus inquilinos
• Vecinos que no quisieron ignorar a las familias que llevaban en el corazón
• Y muchos de ustedes que compartieron historias directamente con nosotros

No tomamos fotos, no porque no quisiéramos, sino porque los momentos eran demasiado reales para interrumpirlos.
Vecinos reales.
Gratitud real.
Conexión real.
Estábamos viviéndolo, no documentándolo.

Las entregas se hicieron tarde — el lunes hasta las 11 PM y ayer hasta las 9 PM — y nada de esto hubiera sido posible sin un grupo que casi nunca recibe el reconocimiento que merece.

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Wheeling Rapid Response Team

Un grupo que pocos ven, que a veces es incomprendido, pero que nunca deja de estar presente cuando la comunidad lo necesita.

Son papás y mamás, dueños de pequeños negocios, entrenadores escolares, y exalumnos de WHS que regresaron para fortalecer a la comunidad que los vio crecer.
Son vecinos comunes que se ofrecen de voluntarios — de verdad voluntarios — con su tiempo, su gasolina, su energía y hasta partes de su propia vida, mientras trabajan tiempo completo, solo para levantar a otras familias.

Sus días empiezan a las 5 de la mañana y muchas veces no terminan hasta las 10 de la noche.
Revisan las zonas donde hay familias batallando.
Llevan a la gente a su trabajo cuando no tienen cómo llegar.
Recogen mandado.
Interpretan.
No dejan sola a la gente.
Abogan.

Y han estado así todos los días por más de un mes.

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Una aclaración y conexión importante:

WheelingStrong sigue siendo un esfuerzo comunitario desde abajo, hecho a mano.
Cada llamada, cada nominación, cada entrega se hace manualmente — así de directo.
Estamos trabajando para convertirnos en una organización sin fines de lucro y servir a más familias con mayor estructura.
Mientras tanto, por eso este trabajo se mueve como se mueve: personal, directo y humano.

Y cuando esta campaña creció más de lo que un esfuerzo pequeño y voluntario podía manejar, pedí apoyo al Rapid Response Team para ayudar con las entregas.

Ellos entraron en acción de inmediato, sin pausa y sin preguntas — con corazón, urgencia y sin esperar ningún reconocimiento.
Así son ellos.

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Y aquí algo que casi nadie vio:

Fuera de esta campaña de WheelingStrong, Rapid Response coordinó y entregó más de 150 pavos por su propia cuenta.
Calladitos.
Con humildad.
Con puro servicio.

⸻

WheelingStrong nunca ha sido un eslogan.
Es lo que somos cuando decidimos apoyarnos entre todos.

Es Rapid Response.
Son los donadores.
Son los nominadores.
Son las familias que confiaron en nosotros.
Son los vecinos que no dejan que otros vecinos pasen sus luchas solos.

A todos los que donaron, nominaron, entregaron, compartieron o simplemente se preocuparon:
gracias de corazón.

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Y una última actualización mientras seguimos adelante:

Hoy vamos a revisar todas las nominaciones para las comidas de tamales y nos comunicaremos con las 50 familias que recibirán este apoyo de la comunidad.
Mañana, de 3 a 4 PM, esas comidas llegarán a sus puertas — justo a tiempo para la cena, justo a tiempo para recordarles que no están solos.
Wheeling siempre responde. Una y otra vez.

Así es como debe verse una comunidad.
Y es un honor construir esto junto a todos ustedes. 🥺🫶🏽

Una Comunidad. Una Misión. Un Solo Wheeling. 🤍

11/26/2025

Wheeling, we did it!
Every single one of the 52 turkeys and full dinner baskets from this drive has now been delivered. 🤍🦃
And the way these 52 families were brought to us is exactly why this community is different.

They were nominated by:
• District 21 staff who know their students’ stories
• St. Joseph Church’s leadership
• Local small businesses who quietly notice when someone is struggling
• Property managers who stay connected to their tenants
• Residents who refused to ignore the families on their hearts
• And so many of you who shared stories directly with us

We didn’t take photos not because we didn’t want to, but because the moments were too real to interrupt.
Real neighbors.
Real gratitude.
Real connection.
We were living it, not documenting it.

Deliveries went late — 11 PM on Monday and 9 PM last night — and none of it would have been possible without a group that rarely receives the credit they deserve.

⸻

Wheeling Rapid Response Team

A group often overlooked, sometimes misunderstood, but always steady in their commitment.

They are parents, small business owners, coaches, and former WHS students who returned to strengthen the community that raised them.
Everyday neighbors who volunteer — truly volunteer — their time, their gas, their energy, and put parts of their own lives on hold while still working full-time jobs, just to lift other families up.

Their days start at 5 AM and often don’t end until 10 PM.
They monitor areas where families are struggling.
They get people to work when transportation fails.
They pick up groceries.
They interpret.
They advocate.

They have shown up every single day like this for more than a month.

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A clarification & connection that feels important:

WheelingStrong is still in its grassroots phase.
Every call, every nomination, every delivery is done by hand — literally.
We’re working toward becoming a full nonprofit so we can serve more families with more structure.
Until then, this is why the work moves the way it moves: personal, direct, and human.

And as the size of this drive grew beyond what one small volunteer-led effort could handle, I tapped into Rapid Response for help with deliveries.

They stepped in immediately, no pause, no questions — with heart, urgency, and zero expectation of recognition.
This is literally who they are.

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And here’s something most people would have never seen:

Outside of this WheelingStrong drive, Rapid Response independently coordinated and delivered more than 150 turkeys to families in need.
Quietly.
Humbly.
In service.

⸻

WheelingStrong has never been a slogan.
It’s who we become when we decide to show up for one another.

It’s Rapid Response.
It’s the donors.
It’s the nominators.
It’s the families who trusted us.
It’s the neighbors who refuse to let other neighbors struggle alone.

To everyone who donated, nominated, delivered, shared, or simply cared:
thank you.

⸻

And one last update as we continue this work:

Today we’ll go through every tamale submission and reach out to the 50 families who will be receiving this community’s support.
Tomorrow, from 3–4 PM, those meals will be delivered — landing at doorsteps just in time for dinner, just in time to remind families they’re not alone.
Wheeling shows up. Over and over again.

This is what community is meant to look like.
And I’m honored to build it with all of you. 🥺🫶🏽

One Community. One Mission. One Wheeling. 🤍

11/24/2025

ACTUALIZACIÓN COMUNITARIA DE ACCIÓN DE GRACIAS

Queremos compartir una actualización rápida y transparente mientras cerramos el apoyo de este año para Acción de Gracias.

La opción de comida de Europa del Este no pudo avanzar como estaba planeado — el tiempo y la logística simplemente no se alinearon de la manera necesaria para ofrecer un menú completo por separado.
Pero todas las personas que seleccionaron esa opción siguen totalmente incluidas.
Ahora esas familias recibirán la comida tradicional estadounidense de Acción de Gracias, asegurando que no falte nada y que nadie quede fuera.

Y aquí viene lo mejor:
¡Todos los turnos de voluntariado ya han sido cubiertos oficialmente! 29 personas y sus familias dieron un paso al frente para que 100 hogares puedan recibir comidas completas este Día de Acción de Gracias. Un poco menos pesado. Mucho más amor.

Esto es lo que se estará entregando:

🇲🇽 50 familias Latinas/Mexicanas recibirán comidas de La Perla Tapatía, que incluyen:
• 1 docena de tamales de cerdo rojo
• 1 docena de tamales de pollo verde
(2 docenas en total — hechos frescos con amor por un pequeño negocio de Wheeling al que siempre hemos apoyado, y que también nos ha apoyado a nosotros.)

Eso suma 1,200 tamales en total — y 504 de ellos fueron donados por Martha, dueña del restaurante. Infinitamente agradecidos. 🥺🤍

🇺🇸 50 comidas estilo americano de Acción de Gracias, cada una incluyendo:
• Pavo congelado
• Elote/maíz
• Puré de papa
• Salsa gravy
• Relleno (stuffing)
• Macarrones con queso
• Panecillos para la cena
• Pay de manzana

Además, 50 pavos fueron donados por la D.C. Cregier Masonic Lodge #81 de Wheeling, una hermandad profundamente comprometida con retribuir a la comunidad.

Para organizarnos con cuidado y asegurar que cada hogar sea contactado y apoyado adecuadamente, las nominaciones de familias cerrarán mañana por la noche.
👉🏽 https://forms.gle/Ra7kJ6vui7ND9i5i8

Gracias, de corazón, a todos los que han participado con bondad, generosidad y apoyo constante.
Wheeling — siguen cuidando de los suyos de las maneras más hermosas.

11/24/2025

THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY UPDATE

We want to share a quick, transparent update as we wrap up this year’s Thanksgiving support.

The Eastern European meal path wasn’t able to move forward as planned — the timing and logistics simply didn’t come together in the way we needed for a full, separate menu.
But everyone who selected that option is still fully included.
Those families will now receive the traditional American Thanksgiving meal, ensuring nothing is missed and no one is overlooked.

And here’s the beautiful part:
All volunteer slots have officially been secured! 29 individuals and their families stepped up so 100 households can receive full meals this Thanksgiving. A little less heavy. A lot more loved.

Here’s what’s being provided:

🇲🇽 50 Latino/Mexican families will receive meals from La Perla Tapatia including :
• 1 dozen red pork tamales
• 1 dozen green chicken tamales
(2 dozen total — made fresh with love by a Wheeling small business we’ve stood behind, and who has stood behind us.)

That’s 1,200 tamales in total — and 504 of them were donated by Martha, the owner of the restaurant. Truly grateful. 🥺🤍

🇺🇸 50 American-style Thanksgiving meals, each including:
• Frozen turkey
• Corn
• Mashed potatoes
• Gravy
• Stuffing
• Mac & cheese
• Dinner rolls
• Apple pie

And 50 turkeys donated by D.C. Cregier Masonic Lodge #81 of Wheeling, a brotherhood deeply committed to giving back.

Because we want to prepare with care and make sure each household is contacted and supported properly, family nominations will close tomorrow night.
👉🏽 https://forms.gle/Ra7kJ6vui7ND9i5i8

Thank you, truly, to everyone who has shown up with kindness, generosity, and steady support.
Wheeling — you continue to take care of your own in the most beautiful ways!

11/23/2025

Right now, there are families in our town fighting silent battles. Not posting about it. Not asking for help. Just trying to survive the weight they’re carrying. And we refuse to let them go unseen.

If you know a family who is struggling — financially, emotionally, physically, or simply trying to hold their world together — we’re asking you to speak their name. Single parents. Seniors. Families dealing with illness, job loss, housing instability, or a season that has knocked the breath out of them.

When you nominate, share 3–4 real sentences about what’s happening (no graphic or deeply personal details). That context allows us to move with purpose, not guesswork, and reach the families who need it most.

This is Wheeling showing up for its own.
This is neighbors protecting neighbors.
This is strength in action.

If someone just crossed your mind — don’t second-guess it. That’s your gut. That’s your heart. That’s your assignment.
Nominate them:
👉🏽 https://forms.gle/Ra7kJ6vui7ND9i5i8

‼️IMPORTANT: Please make sure the family’s address is filled out completely, and include their phone number, otherwise we will not be able to contact them.‼️

✨ And please SHARE this post.
The right family will only be reached if the right person sees it. You never know whose life you may change with one share. ✨

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En este momento, hay familias en nuestro pueblo cargando batallas que nadie ve.
No lo dicen.
No lo publican.
No lo piden.
Solo respiran hondo, bajan la cabeza y siguen — porque así nos enseñaron: a aguantar, a luchar, a hacer lo que se tenga que hacer.

Pero eso no significa que deban hacerlo solas.
Y no vamos a permitir que pasen desapercibidas.

Si conoces a una familia que está batallando — con dinero, con salud, con emociones, o simplemente tratando de mantener su hogar de pie — te pedimos que digas su nombre.
Madres solteras. Papás solteros. Abuelitos. Familias enfrentando enfermedad, pérdida de trabajo, renta atrasada, o una temporada que les está dando muy duro.

Cuando nomines, comparte 3–4 oraciones contando lo que está pasando (sin detalles muy personales o sensibles). Esa información nos ayuda a movernos con intención, no adivinando, y a llegar a quienes de verdad lo necesitan.

Esto es Wheeling levantándose por su gente.
Esto es vecino cuidando a vecino.
Esto es comunidad en acción.

Si alguien te vino a la mente — no lo dudes.
Esa es tu intuición. Ese es tu corazón. Esa es tu señal.
Nomínalos aquí:
👉🏽 https://forms.gle/Ra7kJ6vui7ND9i5i8

‼️IMPORTANTE: Asegúrate de escribir la dirección completa de la familia y agregar su número de teléfono. Si falta esa información, no podremos contactarlos.‼️

✨ Y por favor COMPARTE esta publicación.
A veces la familia que más lo necesita solo aparece cuando alguien la comparte. Nunca sabes a quién le puedes cambiar la vida con un simple “compartir.” ✨

11/22/2025

✨Wheeling — Update Time.✨

You asked for it, you shared it, you tagged businesses — and the community moved.
So here’s where we stand:

🇺🇸 AMERICAN MEAL PATH — 50 FAMILIES

LOCKED IN.
Thanks to D.C. Cregier Masonic Lodge #81, the entire American meal base is now secured:
• 50 frozen turkeys
• 50 cans of corn
• 50 cans of green beans
• 48 boxes of Stove Top stuffing

We still need volunteers to help complete the meal with:
• 1 tray of King’s Hawaiian Rolls
• 1 boxed mashed potatoes
• 1 family-sized mac & cheese
• 2 gravy packets
• 1 pie (apple or pumpkin)
(I looked up prices at Jewel - list came out to roughly $25-30)

🇲🇽 LATINO / MEXICAN — TAMALES (50 Families)

UNDERWAY.

Just weeks ago, La Perla Tapatia was one of the local, family-owned businesses in Wheeling that was directly impacted — and our community stepped in.

Since then, Martha and her family have shown up over and over again in support of our town.

Now, through this initiative, La Perla Tapatia has committed full tamale meals for 21 families, led with heart by Martha and her team.

We are currently seeking 29 sponsors to complete this group.

Each family meal includes:
• 1 dozen red pork tamales
• 1 dozen green chicken tamales

🇺🇦 EASTERN EUROPEAN — KD MARKET PARTNERSHIP (50 Families)

IN PROGRESS.

KD Market - Wheeling officially partnered with us to provide a culturally aligned Eastern European meal for 50 Wheeling families.
Volunteer sign-ups are already open.
Final menu will be released later today.

🌏 PAN-ASIAN MEAL PATH (50 Families)

NOT YET SECURED — but still moving.
We are actively working to finalize a partnership so we can provide a meaningful, culturally aligned meal path for 50 families.
Once secured, volunteer sign-ups will open immediately.

If you know a local Pan-Asian restaurant or market that would be a good fit — TAG them in the comments.
Community connections are how this entire movement started.
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✨Volunteers Needed ✨

If you’d like to adopt a family and cover a full meal, the volunteer sign-up is now open:

👉 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044DAFAA29A2FBC52-60611877-from

We currently need:
• 50 American meal sponsors (you shop for sides)
• 29 Tamale meal sponsors (you pay for meal)
• Eastern European meal volunteers (KD Market partnership is secured — finalizing whether it will be a hot meal or grocery package)
• Pan-Asian sponsors once partnership is secured

⏳ Timeline

All meal sponsorships — American sides, tamales, Eastern European support, and any Pan-Asian commitments — must be completed by this weekend so we can begin assembling and organizing deliveries next week.

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✨Nominate a Family✨

Our confidential nomination form is now open:
👉 https://forms.gle/Ra7kJ6vui7ND9i5i8

Families must:
• Live in Wheeling (or have students in Wheeling schools)
• Be facing real need — in ANY form (financial, emotional, medical, housing, etc.)
• Be nominated by someone who sees their struggle
(We do NOT ask families to publicly raise their hand.)

This is about protection, dignity, and community covering each other quietly.

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Wheeling —
What we are building is no longer a moment.
It’s a movement.

We said we were leveling up.
We meant it.

One Community.
One Mission.
One Wheeling. 🤍

11/18/2025

Wheeling — listen…
What happened last time wasn’t luck, coincidence, or a one-time miracle.
It was proof of who we are when we decide to move — together.

With no notice, no structure, and no official launch, we stepped up and made sure 100 families in our town did not fall through the cracks. We didn’t wait for perfect conditions. We didn’t wait for permission. We didn’t wait for someone else to do it.

We moved.
And we delivered.
And it mattered.

So this Thanksgiving, we’re not repeating it — we’re leveling up.

We are launching:
✨From Neighbor to Neighbor — Family Meal ✨
a community-driven effort to support 200 Wheeling families with full, culturally aligned meal packages that can feed a family of 6–8 this Thanksgiving.
Not random items — thought-out, meaningful meals that reflect the cultures present in our town.

We are preparing four meal paths, with 50 families per group:

🇲🇽 50 Latino / Mexican — Tamales
🌏 50 Pan-Asian — Asian-style meal base
🇺🇦 50 Eastern European — Pierogi meal base
🇺🇸 50 American — Frozen turkey meal base

And we’re already gaining momentum:

• La Perla Tapatia has committed to covering 21 families in the Latino meal group — we now need 29 sponsors to complete that category.
• We are working with a potential partner to secure 50 frozen turkeys for the American meal path

We are seeking local, culturally aligned restaurant or store partners in Wheeling for the Pan-Asian and Eastern European meal paths, as well as American side-dish support. (If you know a business we should connect with, TAG them in the comments so we can reach out.)

Our confirmed Latino / Mexican partner is La Perla Tapatia Supermarket 🤍

As community members, if you’d like to adopt a family, please plan to set aside approximately $50. That is the budget we are working with, and we will be opening sign-ups shortly.

Over the next few days, we will release:

• Confirmed Partnerships
• Confidential nomination process
• Adopt A Family sign-up information

If you’re someone who cares about this community and wants to be part of what’s next, stay close — updates are coming quickly.

Please share this so we can connect with the right partners.

And begin identifying the families you may nominate — because we know some households in our community are struggling but will never raise their hand publicly, and those are the families we want to reach.

To be nominated, families must:
• Live in Wheeling (or have children in Wheeling schools)
• Be currently facing real need — in any form.

We are using nominations instead of open sign-ups in order to protect privacy, dignity, and emotional safety.

One Community.
One Mission.
One Wheeling. 🤍

WheelingStrong

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