Neighbors helping neighbors: Des Plaines area volunteers cook, deliver 700 Thanksgiving dinners

The Des Plaines Community Foundation, Sysco Chicago and Sunrise Grill all worked together to provide and deliver Thanksgiving Day dinners. As a result, more than 700 recipients, including homebound seniors and people with disabilities, had a very happy Thanksgiving.

“This is our 15th year making the meals and delivering the turkey dinners, and 700 is the highest number of meals to date,” said Dina Argus, executive director of the DPCF. “It’s a group effort. Turkey dinners were delivered to those in wheelchairs, on oxygen and the blind — all those who have difficulty leaving their homes.

“In addition, we were especially careful to include those families whose SNAP benefits were canceled due to the government shut down and in need of food for the holiday.”

Sunrise Grill, 1930 E. Touhy Ave., joined in on the Thanksgiving Day dinners. Owner and chef Jose Medina and his family and staff donated their time and skill to help prepare the meal. This is the seventh year the restaurant roasted the turkey breasts and cooked the sides.

“People are struggling in this economy, and this group-effort program is very necessary and an important factor to some residents’ lives, especially during the holidays,” said Rich Holke, president of the DPCF. “The foundation is happy to help improve the lives of Des Plaines residents and provide food during the holidays.”

Sysco Chicago provided all the food, including 300 pounds of turkey breasts, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce, roll with butter, an apple and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert. Volunteers delivered the meals.

Maine West High School students and other local schools created personal handmade cards wishing residents a “Happy Thanksgiving.”

Also, 15 Niles West basketball players and assistant coach Michael Sneed helped put together boxes, slice the pumpkin pie and pack the meals for delivery.

According to Argus, the long list of people who were served dinner 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 and the city of Des Plaines lists were called to confirm they would be home on Thanksgiving Day, said Angelika Danek, LCSW, CRADC, community and police social worker from the police department.

“The city of Des Plaines Engineering Department and the GIS staff created the maps of routes for the volunteer drivers,” Danek said.

Local volunteers helped pack the meals for the Sysco volunteers, who delivered meals between 9 a.m. and noon on Thanksgiving Day.

Tanzania Harper-Frazier of Sysco Chicago Inc. coordinated the Sysco volunteer-driver pickup.

“We are thankful for all the Sysco volunteers and drivers, who include Bryce Burton, Juan Florez, Richard Jurczak, Steve Luczak, Josh Kackley, Sara Wilken, Jill Stadick, Roger Tucker, Charles Schumacher and Joe Wapo,” said Harper-Frazier.

DPCF trustees who helped pack the meals into travel boxes included Holke, Bob Argus, Jan Goczkowski, and Sandra and Kayla Hansen. Former board member Kathy Puetz helped organize the routes for the drivers.

“Our foundation donates to all the local pantries, as well as many of the religious organizations that provide meals during the week for the needy of Des Plaines,” Argus said.

Some of the DPCF programs include the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program committee; Healthy Community/Healthy Youth program committee; Intergenerational program committee; and Seasons of Service program committee.

The 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 student volunteer, visit desplainescommunityfoundation.org. Future volunteers can call Dina Argus at (888) 646-8898.