Chicago-area volunteers unite to pack holiday meal boxes for families in need

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. - A dedicated group of volunteers, including Elk Grove High School student-athletes and Chicago Bears players, joined forces in a massive Salvation Army Warehouse to pack meal boxes for those in need.

The Salvation Army, supplying the food and boxes, is set to distribute these packed boxes to Chicagoland families facing hardships this holiday season. Each box is filled with an assortment of essential items, including vegetables, cranberry sauce, biscuits, gravy, stuffing, and a choice of a frozen turkey, chicken, or ham.

Elk Grove Junior Mike Milovich says he wouldn’t have wanted to spend his afternoon any other way.

"It gets you in a more giving and a more cheerful mood, to kind of give yourself more of a chance to buy presents and to be more courteous to your neighbors and friends," he said.

In a collective five-day effort, volunteers from various organizations have worked tirelessly to achieve the ambitious goal of 12,000 food boxes. The initiative is a response to the ongoing challenges faced by residents dealing with the impacts of inflation, eviction, and job loss.

"It just never goes away. The need has no season, and the need always seems to grow in some way. We always try to meet it, whatever it might be," said Sam Amick, Director, Salvation Army North & Central Illinois Divisional Emergency Disaster Services.

Bears offensive lineman Roy Mbaeteka emphasized the importance of giving back.

"You don’t really need a reason to give back to people. If you got something and you want to give it up, no matter how little, it's good, so giving back is a very fulfilling feeling," he said.

It was cool for Milovich to see the Bears players put aside their high status and take the afternoon to give to others.

"It shows you that no matter what status, what size you are, how old you are, you can come and help out anywhere," said Milovich.

Senior Kayce Wadas imagined how some families would react to getting the full box.

"Probably so much joy and be thankful that they have food to eat. Like a whole meal," said Wadas.

The volunteers conveyed that contributing to this cause is the ideal way to kickstart the Christmas season.