When the candles on the cake are lit, the birthday child is told to “make a wish.” For children with critical illnesses, having their wish granted can foster strength, instill hope and create transformation in their medical journey.

From Monday, July 8, through Sunday, July 14, Make-A-Wish^® Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana will be the beneficiary of Strack & Van Til’s Checkout Challenge Round Up. Customers across the Region can choose to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar when shopping at their local Strack & Van Til store, with those extra funds donated to the organization.

Make-A-Wish Northwest Indiana Advancement Officer Rachel Terhorst says all proceeds from the Strack & Van Til Round Up will help grant more than 119 life-changing wishes for children in Northwest Indiana in 2024.

Thanks to generous community support, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana has granted thousands of life-changing wishes for Northwest Indiana children with critical illnesses for more than 40 years.

“We’re so grateful to Strack & Van Til for partnering with us to grant life-changing wishes for local children with critical illnesses,” Terhorst says. “Research shows that wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits that can give a child better health outcomes and increase their chances for survival. Simply put, wishes are a powerful medicine, and wishes wouldn’t be possible without the support of our generous community and partners.”

According to the Make-A-Wish 2022 Wish Impact Study (wish.org/impact-study), a large majority of Make-A-Wish alumni, parents and medical providers overwhelmingly agree that the wish experience contributes substantially to physical, mental and emotional health; and:

• Was a necessary part of the medical treatment journey, improved the odds of survival, provided a support system and better health outcomes and gave the child a better chance of recovering from their critical illness.
• Increased hope, strength, joy, confidence, self-esteem, quality of life and well-being.
• Served as a coping mechanism and a turning point in treatment.
• Brought families closer together and strengthened relationships with loved ones.
• Helped overcome traumatic stress, hopelessness, depression, and loneliness.

Strack & Van Til continues its more than 94-year tradition of philanthropy by raising funds through the Checkout Challenge Round Up program to help organizations in the communities it serves throughout Northwest Indiana.

President and CEO Jeff Strack credits Strack & Van Til customer generosity and employee commitment for the success of the Checkout Challenge Round Ups.

“Giving back to the communities we serve is just naturally a part of Strack & Van Til’s culture. We are incredibly grateful to our customers who contribute to these Round Up campaigns and make a difference in the lives of so many people,” Strack says. “Our customers are the best. They are the ones who give back to the community. Our stores, with the help of our employees, simply provide our customers with an outlet to donate to some of their favorite local organizations.”

Show your support for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana by participating in Strack & Van Til’s Checkout Challenge Round Up. For more information on the organization’s programs, to volunteer or donate, visit wish.org/oki-43.

To learn more about Strack & Van Til’s community involvement, visit strackandvantil.com/company/community-involvement.