Wheeling needs a centralized place where residents can get help and food for their families when times get tough, according to Jim Bradley.
“I spent two years researching food pantries and food banks and this is something we need,” said Bradley, a member of Wheeling’s Rotary. “There are reasons behind why someone is hungry. It’s about more than food.”
Wheeling trustees unanimously supported Bradley’s idea.
“Rotary Club to the rescue,” said Trustee Ken Brady. “ We’ve been talking about this for years.”
The food pantry will share space with a police substation at 101 N. Wolf Road. It would be open four hours a day Mondays through Fridays and be staffed by mostly volunteers. Bradley has already talked to about 10 organizations that can help out including Wheeling High School, the senior center, St. Joseph the Worker Church, Little Mexico and more.
The pantry will also have a social worker on hand to talk to people who return for help more than once, Bradley said.
“I wanted to step up because no one else was,” he said after the meeting.
Once open, the pantry could serve between 50 and 100 families a week, said Jason Wynkoop, a program coordinator with OMNI Youth Services, who was also at Monday’s village board meeting.
The food pantry could open a few weeks after getting the village board’s official approval, Bradley said.