Good News Sunday: Libertyville fifth-grader collects more than 100 bags of food, toys for pantry

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:

A 10-year-old Libertyville boy assumed the role of Santa last week, delivering more than 100 bags of food and toys he collected for those in need.

Roark Nietzel and his mom, Anastasia Thermos, emptied their packed dining room - and part of the garage - filled three vehicles and brought the bounty to the Libertyville Township food pantry.

"I jokingly told Roark we need to borrow Santa's sleigh to deliver these items," Thermos said.

Instead of gifts for his past few birthdays, Roark has asked friends to bring nonperishable food to donate. He kicked the campaign up a notch for the holidays.

"For my birthday we donate to the food pantry," he said. "One day, I was like, 'Why not do it for Christmas?'"

He crafted a letter of introduction and emailed it to neighbors, telling them he wanted to do a food drive and asking they bring items to his house.

For the full story, click here.

Salvation Army volunteers pack 16,000 meals in Elk Grove Village

Volunteers were busy sorting and packing thousands of Christmas food boxes with turkey or chicken, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dessert and other holiday staples Tuesday afternoon at the Salvation Army facility in Elk Grove Village.

The group was working to fill 16,000 boxes by the end of the week to help those in need have a memorable holiday meal, said Camerin Courtney Mattson, communications manager for the Salvation Army's metropolitan division.

"The trucks will be loaded and the food boxes will go out to 28 core community centers. Then those boxes get distributed to people in each community," Mattson said. "Overall, we've seen at the Salvation Army that the need for help has just been elevated."

For the full story, click here.

Muslim Chamber of Commerce touts member businesses

The fledgling Illinois Muslim Chamber of Commerce's website offers a growing directory of suburban Muslim businesses and professionals.

Established in 2019, the chamber is governed by a seven-member volunteer board of business owners from the Northwest and West suburbs.

The not-for-profit chamber aims to help its member businesses with visibility, sharing news, ideas and best practices, marketing, advocacy, networking and professional development.

"We have around 200 small businesses," said chamber President Shafeek Abubaker of Naperville, who owns Zumitin Inc., a software development, enterprise solution and IT consulting company.

"This is a minority community, and most of the small businesses are not part of any chambers of commerce."

Abubaker said the goal is to help Muslim small business owners get to know each other and to educate them about the benefits a chamber can provide, as well as government programs that offer support.

For the full story, click here.

Itasca group gives Christmas gifts through 'Adopt-a-Senior' event

Knowing how stressful and isolating the COVID-19 pandemic has been for her village's seniors, an Itasca resident is spreading some holiday cheer for a second straight year.

Melissa Christensen, founder of Sprinkle with Care and Love, started Adopt-A-Senior in 2020 with Jen Troutman and Jess Finn. Residents "adopt" a senior and get a gift for that person, providing them with "sprinkles" for Christmas, what Christensen says is a small gift of love.

Sprinkles usually take the form of handmade cards made by children and Girl Scouts in the area, as well as baked treats like cookies. The gifts will all be collected by Dec. 18 and delivered the next day.

For the full story, click here.

• Good News Sunday will run each weekend. Please visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter.