May 2025

Nick's Recipe for Success at Once Upon a Bagel!

From the first day Nick walked through the doors of Once Upon a Bagel, it was clear he wasn’t just there to help out in the kitchen; he was there to make a difference.

Having transitioned from office work to the food industry, Nick discovered that he enjoys hands-on work and loves the busy restaurant environment. Nick quickly found his rhythm among the hum of ovens and the aroma of fresh bagels. Whether he’s packaging and shelving cookies, peeling hard-boiled eggs, or carefully filling containers with salsa and dressings, Nick approaches each part of his role with quiet confidence.

One of his favorite parts of the day is filling the cookie and rugelach containers and shelving them - a job he performs with incredible precision. Nick knows exactly how many items belong in each container and where everything should go. His ability to stay organized helps keep the kitchen running smoothly.

Nick's coworker and manager, Johanna and Luis, and the owners, Adam and Ira, have been great Employment Partners. Johanna and Luis help set the stage each day, checking in with Nick at the start of each shift. Their friendly teamwork and shared respect have helped build an environment where Nick feels confident, capable, and appreciated.

Going Green with the Village!

In honor of Earth Day last month, TotalLink’s Community Life program partnered with the Village of Northbrook. Kate Carney and Sam Reiss came to share information about Northbrook’s new composting initiative, what composting entails, and how we can improve our recycling practices.



The first sight of green grass, blossoming trees, and blooming flowers has us all excited about spending more time outdoors. For many of us, spring also prompts us to think about how we can keep our community beautiful by adopting sustainable habits into our lives.

In 2025, Northbrook launched a new composting program for families interested in participating. Kate and Sam taught us all about this valuable, sustainable, and easy-to-use life skill. We learned about all of the interesting and unexpected things that can be composted and what happens to them when they are. Everyone found it fascinating how everyday garbage can be reused in ways that help our environment. Kate and Sam also reviewed common recycling mistakes and gave us some tips and tricks before we were off on our 3rd annual Trash Pick-Up Day.

Community Lifers hit the grass with rubber gloves, trash bags, and even a trash-grabbing tool from home, and gave our community a little tender loving care to get it ready for all of us to enjoy this spring. 

Whether it’s through composting, trash pickups, or even simply using a reusable water bottle, TotalLink was happy to learn some new skills to “go green” this season!

Meet Xander: TotalLink's Artist of the Month

Stepping Forward Together: Thank you to our TotalLink Trot Walkers, Donors, and Volunteers!

The fourth annual TotalLink Trot took place on Sunday, April 27, and it was a fun morning filled with community spirit, connection, and support. More than 130 walkers joined us on the beautiful Techny Prairie Trails, and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to walk, cheer, and celebrate with us.

Emily Raming, TotalLink's Executive Director, shared, "The TotalLink Trot is more than just a walk - it's a celebration of empowerment, inclusion, and community spirit. This event embodies the kind of community I strive to be part of - where people of all abilities walk side by side to create a more inclusive world. And that's exactly what we're working toward every day at TotalLink."

This year, we were honored to have the support of 18 generous community businesses and individual sponsors. A heartfelt thank you goes out to each of them, as well as to the Northbrook Park District, for once again welcoming us and helping make the day so successful.

We also want to give a shoutout to our incredible TotalLink Trot committee and volunteers, including those from the Northbrook Rotary Club and Flex, who helped the event run smoothly from start to finish.

Thank you for being part of this meaningful day. We can't wait to walk with you again next year!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Madame ZuZu's

1876 1st St.

Highland Park, IL

4:00 - 6:00 PM

June 12, 2025*

July 17, 2025

*Please note this is the Second Tuesday of the month to honor Juneteenth

Everyone is welcome to join us for this fun community event.

New to TotalLink Programs or Employment?

Check out our Getting Started with Services page.

Support Our 2025 Sponsors

TotalLink is proud to partner with many generous sponsors whose support helps make our mission possible. Visit our sponsor webpage to view all their logos and to learn more about the organizations that share our commitment to building inclusive communities. We encourage you to consider supporting these businesses, just as they’ve supported TotalLink and our work.

TotalLink offers a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities throughout the year. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Alisa at amartorano@totallink.org or 224-412-4718.

Help Us Keep the Momentum Going

Every donation helps us create more inclusive opportunities and meaningful experiences. Thank you for being part of the TotalLink community!