Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Posted November 29, 2015 10:00 pm

Rosemary Argus meets with Ted Roombos, Victoria LaGuidce, Chris and Barb Roombos, Maggie Melody and Bob Kuzmanic of T-Bob's to discuss how many volunteers will be packing up the turkey dinners and delivering them to the needy and/or disabled residents. Courtesy of Des Plaines Community Foundation

Des Plaines Community Foundation and local businesses serve Thanksgiving to those in need

Submitted by Des Plaines Community Foundation

The Des Plaines Community Foundation, T-Bob's Smoked Bar-B-Q, 1165 S. Elmhurst Road, Sysco Foods-Chicago and Panera Bread in Metropolitan Square worked together Thursday, Nov. 26, to provide and deliver Thanksgiving Day dinners to those in need. As a result, more than 200 families, homebound seniors and people with disabilities had a very happy Thanksgiving.

According to Rosemary Argus, the executive director of the Des Plaines Community Foundation, turkey dinners were delivered to those in wheelchairs, on oxygen and the blind, who have difficulty leaving their homes.

"This is our fifth year making the meals and delivering the turkey dinners," explained Argus. "It was T-Bob's and my idea, as well as local churches. It's a group effort."

T-Bob's owner Ted Roombos, and his family and staff, have donated their time every year to help on Thanksgiving," Argus added. Roombos roasts all the turkey breasts for the dinners.

Lacey Belle Argus, and her schoolmates from Chippewa Middle School, made Thanksgiving Day "We Care About You Cards" which were included with each meal.

Also, members of Des Plaines Girls Softball wrote Thanksgiving Day cards to the recipients of the meals so that they would know people care about them.

"There are a lot of good people in Des Plaines," said Argus. "Every member of the Des Plaines Community Foundation is a volunteer. We have no paid employees."

According to Argus, the list of people who were served through the Thanksgiving Day program consisted of Des Plaines residents who requested assistance by calling the Neighbors Helping Neighbors hotline at (888) 646-8898.

Everyone on both the Neighbors Helping Neighbors list and the Des Plaines church lists were called to confirm they would be home on Thanksgiving Day and enjoyed having a cooked meal delivered.

Sysco Foods provided 80 pounds of turkey breasts, vegetables and potatoes. T-Bob's roasted the turkey. Volunteers packaged the corn, sweet potatoes, main entree, bread and pumpkin pie.

Des Plaines Community Foundation volunteers picked up Panera Bread's contributions of bagels, other bread and pastries and delivered them to T-Bob's. Other volunteers, including a large number from Sysco Foods, delivered meals between 10 a.m. and noon on Thanksgiving Day in the rain.

"This is a really touching program to provide for these families," said Argus. "We appreciate all the volunteers' hard work on Thanksgiving Day. This is one of the most satisfying things that we've done."

Neighbors Helping Neighbors also delivered on about 500 requests for help from Des Plaines residents in need this year. The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program links community volunteers with residents in need of transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, yard and home care, installation of emergency response boxes, wheelchair ramps and decks.

Volunteers also provide transportation to Des Plaines residents. All residents have to do is call the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Hot Line (888-646-8898) and request help.

The foundation raises funds to identify, link and mobilize assets to support the service programs of the Des Plaines Healthy Community Partnership Programs whose activities improve the lives of those that live and work in Des Plaines.

The foundation has no paid employees and is 100-percent volunteer. Foundation is a 501c3 organization and funds are obtained from individuals, businesses, and corporate tax-deductible contributions as well as from other foundations.

For information on becoming a volunteer visit: www.DPCharties.org or www.desplainescommunityfoundation.org. Future volunteers can call Rosemary Argus at (847) 297-4932 or (847) 525-5566.

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Courtesy of Des Plaines Community FoundationVolunteers, some from Sysco Foods-Chicago, pack up turkey dinners and prepare to deliver them on Thanksgiving Day. Pictured, from left: Kristie Lord, Charley Forness, Mary Ann Forness and Paul Brown.

Courtesy of Des Plaines Community FoundationLacey Belle Argus and her schoolmates from Chippewa Middle School draw Thanksgiving Day "We Care About You Cards" to be included with the delivered meals.

Courtesy of Des Plaines Community FoundationVolunteers Candee Cole and Marcus McLeese pack up the turkey dinners with Thanksgiving cards and prepare to deliver them on Thanksgiving Day.

Courtesy of Des Plaines Community FoundationBob Kuzmanic and his daughter Kellie carve-up the turkey and bread for dinners to be delivered on Thanksgiving Day.

Members of Des Plaines girls softball, from left, Madeleine Larsen, Makenna Delafeld, Mia Thomas (front), Kylie White, and Maddie Chiakas together wrote 104 cards for recipients of the Thanksgiving meals. Courtesy of Des Plaines Community Foundation

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