Buffalo Grove, Wheeling Rotary Clubs Give Back Over Holidays

The yearly Thanksgiving Food Basket Donation Program for in-need families has been led by the Buffalo Grove and Wheeling rotary clubs for the last few decades. This giving effort leading into the holiday season continues to grow its reach by engaging more individuals and organizations from the greater community, through donations and volunteer support.

Each year, the Rotary clubs purchase food boxes to be donated to local families experiencing food insecurity, who are referred by school counselors from Buffalo Grove area school districts and the Buffalo Grove Police Department social worker. This year, the clubs jointly purchased 150 holiday meal boxes from the Northern Illinois Mobile Food Pantry, representing a nearly $5,000 investment in the program. Each food box contains a whole turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce, potatoes, white rice, corn, green beans and dry black beans, as well as mixed fruit, cake mix, frosting and hot cocoa.

Board games donated by the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club – in line with Rotary’s focus on literacy – will also be given to families with school-aged children, in addition to books donated by Wheeling Rotarian, Rich Rosen.

The growth of this giving program would not be possible without several key community partners dedicated to ensuring local families can enjoy a holiday meal without the concern of how they would afford it. Information on key community partners and their support through donations of goods and/or services is provided below:

• Garden Fresh Market, 770 S. Buffalo Grove Road in Buffalo Grove: Donated nearly $7,000 in food to be packed into additional food boxes by volunteers and given out alongside food baskets on distribution day. The grocer is also providing $20 Garden Fresh Market gift cards to each recipient family.
• Ela Township Charity Knit Crochet & Quilters: Donated approximately 100 hand knit baby blankets, 80 hand knit hats and 50 hand knit scarfs to be given to recipient families.
• PetSmart, 20771 N. Rand Road in Kildeer: Donated dozens of stuffed animals to be given to recipient families.
• Hillside Towing, 120 W. University Drive in Arlington Heights: Donated a lift truck to move food pallets on distribution day.
• Route 12 Rental, 1306 E. Rand Road in Arlington Heights: Donated a truck to move food.

Additional community partners and volunteers include: The Continental Restaurant, 788 S. Buffalo Grove Road in Buffalo Grove, Kolbi Pipe Marker Co., 416 Campus Drive in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove High School (BGHS), Buffalo Grove Police Department and Buffalo Grove Park District.

Food boxes will be packed by Rotarians and other volunteers – including BGHS staff and students – and then picked up by families on the Thursday and Saturday before Thanksgiving. A number of volunteers also speak foreign languages, and will be there to greet families who need translation services and help load food baskets and the other items into vehicles.

The Buffalo Grove and Wheeling Rotary clubs thank the community for their support of this very special program to make the holidays a bit brighter for those in need. To learn more about the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club, click here, and for information about the Wheeling Rotary Club, click here.