Editorial: In tough times, and with Ukrainians going through hell, there are angels in our midst

This editorial represents the consensus opinion of The Daily Herald Editorial Board.

It's easy to complain these days. Gas prices are high. Inflation is making grocery bills and so many more expenses higher. It's become a real strain on people struggling to make ends meet.

And while the pandemic situation has greatly improved (a new "stealth" variant out in the world notwithstanding), we have a new crisis that has an impact on the whole world: Russia's war on Ukraine, though of course, it's the Ukrainians who are truly in hell.

It's easy to place blame for all these problems. But several people here in the suburbs alone instead are doing amazing things to help.

Sue Gandhi of Vernon Hills has been running a food pantry out of her garage. Sue's Pantry was her idea after she and her husband, Hasu, lost corporate jobs during the Great Recession. They ditched one of their cars and cut other corners to make it work.

NBC Nightly News got wind of it. Donations came flooding in. Now Sue's Pantry serves as many as 200 families a week. She even helps pay rent or a car repair bill. She says all she needs to know is "a phone number and what do you need?"

Leo Bonilla, a second-grader at Neubert Elementary School in Algonquin, became a "Hunger Hero" after he raised $3,300 for the District 300 Food Pantry in Carpentersville by hosting social media fundraisers over the last two years. He started gathering money in late 2020 after seeing a news video of long lines of people waiting for food.

During the early days of the pandemic, East Dundee Village Trustee Tricia Saviano spent time making signs with encouraging quotes from Bob Marley. After nice feedback and requests, she created 30 signs displayed in East Dundee and beyond. The sign in her yard reminding people "every little thing gonna be alright" is still on display.

What began as an employee suggestion turned into a team endeavor by the four restaurants on CityGate's Naperville campus to raise money, with 30% of revenue one day, for World Central Kitchen, the organization founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres that's currently set up at eight border crossing areas across Ukraine. Several other restaurants in the suburbs have done or are launching similar efforts.

Jeff Kaminsky of Northbrook, a sales and business executive, decided on a whim to go to Berlin and help Ukrainian refugees there. Former Northbrook Deputy Fire Chief David Crawford went with him. He got Northbrook school communities and others to donate and ship all kinds of supplies, and he's arranging hotel stays for refugees. He was supposed to return home last weekend but couldn't leave them.

There are so many angels in our midst. Go to www.dailyherald.com/topics/Charities-and-Fundraising/ and see all the articles about efforts to help Ukrainians and others. Go to www.dailyherald.com and enter "food pantry" into the Search field to see all the pantries helping people.

There are so many ways to help. And if you're one needing help, so many are here for you.