Mundelein police, Elly's provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need

The Mundelein Police Department and Elly's Pancake House in Mundelein provided 40 families with a complete Thanksgiving meal Tuesday.

The turkeys were donated by Elly's, and the side dishes by the Mundelein After School Coalition (MASC) and the Freemont Township Girl Scout Troop.

"This is the 15th year that we have teamed up with Elly's to help make the Thanksgiving holiday a little easier for some of our families in need," Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said in a news release. "None of this would be possible without the assistance of Elly's. It's just a great feeling to give back to the community and help those who need it. This is the part of my job that makes it all worth it."

The families who received the Thanksgiving meal are chosen through contacts developed by the police department, churches, and from Mundelein school districts. Mundelein police Officer Anastasios Koumantos coordinated all of the logistics to package the dinners and deliver the food to those in need.

"We're very grateful that Elly's approached us years ago to help start this community program. They were looking for a way to give back to the community and this program reflects that commitment," Guenther said.